Says we‘ve not done much in 50 years
Benue, Taraba govs insist on ranches
Mulls colonies for herders
By Bode Olagoke Abuja
In what looks like an admission of guilt, the federal government yesterday blamed the incessant killings arising from herdsmen/ farmers’ clashes around the country, on successive governments.
It said, unlike other sub-sectors in agriculture, governments had not paid much attention to herdsmen and livestock business in the country. Nonetheless, it expressed grave concerns that the current trend was dangerous for the country, and should be quickly nipped in the bud. Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, made the observation in Abuja, at a special security meeting with five governors and some top security chiefs.
The meeting, convened by the Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, had in attendance five governors and some security chiefs. The governors included; David Ortom of Benue, Tanko Al-Mekura of Nasarawa, Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger, Simon Lalong of Plateau, and Darius Isiaku of Taraba. Also at the meeting were the Inspector General of Police, Idris K Ibrahim, Commandant General of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Abdullahi Muhammadu Gana and Director General, Department of State Services (DSS), Lawal Daura among others.
Addressing the meeting, Ogbeh said: “Over the years, we have not done much to look seriously into the issue of livestock development in the country.
People ask the question; why should government get involved, why shouldn’t the herdsmen manage their own livestock? “I am sad to tell you that inthe last fifty years, until recently, we may have done enough for the rice farmer, the cassava farmer, the maize farmer, the cocoa farmer, but we haven’t done much for herdsmen, and that inability and omission on our part, is resulting in the crises we are witnessing today.
“In Europe, every cow that is farmed gets a subsidy of 6 Euros per day. We have done next to nothing for the cattlerearers, and as a result, its operation has become a threat to the existence of our farmers.
That is what this communiqué will seek to resolve.” He further revealed that the federal government was “planning a programme called cattle colonists, not ranches, but colonists where at least fi ve thousand hectares of land would be made available, adequate water, adequate pasture would be made available. “We also want to stop cattle rearers from roaming about.
The culture of cattle roaming about will be stopped, the cattle will be provided with water and adequate security by the rangers, adequate pasture milk collection, even security against rustlers, to enable them live a normal life. This has been done elsewhere in India, Ethopia and even Brazil.”
For the convener, General Dambazau, the meeting was to primarily share experiences among the stakeholders and agree on necessary measures to be taken against the menace. According to Dambazau, “the current situation is very dangerous to the Northern Nigeria in particular and the nation in general.” He warned that threats to peace and public safety in anyform at any location in the country will not be tolerated.
“It is the responsibility of governments at all levels to provide unconditionally, sustainable peace and public safety within their territorial boundaries. Against this background, the meeting is convened to primarily bring us together to share our experiences on the aforementioned security challenges. The meeting will then agree on necessary measures to be taken and apportion responsibilities.
“The immediate repercussion of this menace include; hunger due to acute shortage of food, diseases, criminal activities and deepening animosity between ethnic and religious groups.
“Knowing that general elections are fast approaching and considering the history of political and election violence in Nigeria, all necessary steps must be taken to ensure that the recently witnessed crimes and violent conflicts are curtailed with utmost dispatch,” he added. Benue, Taraba govs kick Meanwhile, after more than 6 hours of a closed-door meeting, the duo of Taraba and Benue governors rejected the colonies option of the federal government, insisting on ranching as the way out.
But they agreed to work with the security chiefs and the federal government to ensure the perennial clashes are not only stopped, but culprits arrested and prosecuted according to the laws of the country. Speaking to journalists, Governor Ortom maintained that ranching is the global best practice, saying the State Houseof Assembly had passed the Open Grazing Prohibition Bill, which had been signed into law. He insisted that the world has moved from the primitive ways of cattle rearing to an advanced form.
This, according to him, has made the nomadic system of animal husbandry a primitive and unproductive method. With the law, he maintained that farmers in the state, had keyed into the modern way of livestock keeping, stressing that ranching is not only for cows but all livestock. He assured that with the scheme, a lot of jobs will be created as farmers are already planting grasses which will be fed to the animals, while slaughter house owners are considering setting up abattoirs within the ranches. The governor also stated that all the stakeholders resolved to work together and embrace the new method of animal rearing, while those who are bent on resisting the change will be decisively dealt with. Speaking in similar vein, Governor Isiaku said that ranching is the only way to go.
