Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has announced the creation of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development. The President made this announcement on Tuesday while inaugurating the Presidential Committee on Livestock Reforms at the Council Chamber in the State House, Abuja. This initiative aims to address the ongoing farmers-herders crisis.
The President will chair the Committee, with former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chairman, Attahiru Jega, serving as the Deputy Chairman. The Committee is tasked with proposing recommendations to foster peaceful co-existence between herders and farmers, ensuring the security and economic well-being of all Nigerians.
Last year, Tinubu approved the establishment of a Presidential Committee tasked with providing recommendations for fostering peaceful coexistence between herders and farmers, all while ensuring the security and economic prosperity of all Nigerians.
Tinubu emphasised that the committee also bears the responsibility of overhauling the livestock industry and devising long-term solutions to the recurring clashes between herders and farmers in the country.
In June, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) urged the president to create a Ministry of Livestock Development.
Alhaji Baba Usman Ngelzarma, MACBAN president said the pastoralists want the creation of a complete ministry for livestock.
“The entire livestock value chain issues can be addressed holistically rather than what is going on now at the National Assembly, working to create a bill for Animal Husbandry or Ranching. Ranching is just an aspect of livestock instead of going for ranching why can’t the president create a pool-blown ministry for livestock so that all the value chain related to livestock issues can be addressed holistically by that ministry?
‘‘Issues of production, processing, marketing, transportation even security related issues can be addressed if there is a ministry dedicated for that purpose,” Ngelzarma had said.