The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has urged the federal government to develop integrated land use policies that balance the needs of pastoralists and farmers, ensuring that both groups have fair access to resources.
The LCCI President, Mr Gabriel Idahosa who made this call while acknowledging the federal government’s decision to establish the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development said there is a need to implement land acquisition and compensation frameworks that respects the rights of Indigenous communities and landowners.
He urged the government to encourage the transition from traditional nomadic grazing to modern ranching systems, which can increase productivity, reduce conflicts, and provide incentives for private sector investment in ranching infrastructure, including access to credit, technical assistance, and subsidies.
Expressing the need to enhance security in rural areas to protect both farmers and pastoralists from violence and theft, he called for implementation of community policing and conflict resolution mechanisms to address disputes promptly and fairly.
On the Energy transition, the chamber acknowledged that removing the subsidy on electricity supply may have been in line with attracting foreign investors into the sector with a cost-reflective tariff, but called for an aggressive metering programme that leads to 100 percent coverage of electricity consumers. This according to him will guarantee liquidity for the distribution companies and give consumers more satisfaction with paying for what they consume.