Amid the lingering crisis between farmers and herders across the country, President Bola Tinubu has announced the creation of a Federal Ministry of Livestock Development.
Tinubu made the announcement during the inauguration of the Renewed Hope Livestock Reforms Implementation Committee at the State House, Abuja, on Tuesday, July 9, 2024.
No minister has been announced yet for the new ministry.
The committee, which is mandated to provide sector-focused solutions to address the age-long farmers-herders crisis, will be chaired by the President, with the former chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission (EFCC), Attahiru Jega, as the Deputy Chairman.
The committee is expected to propose recommendations aimed at fostering a peaceful co-existence between herders and farmers while ensuring the security and economic well-being of all Nigerians.
Present at the inauguration were the Vice President, Kashim Shettima; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume; and Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, amongst cabinet members.
Recall that on September 14, 2023, the National Livestock Reforms Committee recommended that Tinubu create a “Ministry of Livestock Resources” to, among other deliverables, reduce the decades-long gory conflict between farmers and nomadic cattle herders nationwide.
Former Kano State Governor and National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, disclosed this to State House Correspondents shortly after he led the committee in an audience with the President at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.
It formed part of 21 recommendations captured in a document submitted to the President to enhance the Federal Government’s holistic response to the lingering cases of bloodshed.
The document spelt details of the proposed solutions where the committee advocated a reform agenda examining conflict mitigation and resource management.
“This agenda should include the establishment and resuscitation of grazing reserves as suggested by many experts and well-meaning Nigerians and other methods of land utilisation.
“Create the Ministry of Livestock Resources in line with practice in many other West African countries. In the alternative, Federal and State Governments should expand the scope of existing Departments of Livestock Production to address the broader needs of the industry,” it read.
Ganduje, who explained the complexity of the challenge at the time, said that the government’s approach must address the four kinds of herders: those who settle at home, nomadic herdsmen traversing the country, those from neighbouring West African countries, as well as those who have settled among certain ethnic tribes and indigenised.
He lamented the sector’s low productivity, saying it made Nigeria import-dependent, draining scarce foreign reserves for importing dairy, meat, and other livestock products.
Similarly, Ganduje argued that the conflicts are resulting in killings of citizens and loss of livelihoods, further affecting peaceful coexistence in the country.
“The Report grew out of the urgent need to reform and develop the livestock industry and to provide solutions to the age-long conflicts between herders and farmers in Nigeria.
“But to find the solution to achieve the desired goals, you’ll need a strong institution.
“We recommended the establishment of the Ministry of Livestock and subsequent agencies so that various aspects of the recommendations will have appropriate institutions for implementation,” the APC helmsman explained 10 months ago.
He noted that the committee also recommended a funding source, including inflows from international organisations, the private sector, and the government.
