The new livestock ministry comes amid unabating clashes between farmers and herders across different parts of the country
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the creation of a federal ministry of livestock development. The President gave the approval during the inauguration of the Presidential Committee on Livestock Reforms at the Council Chamber of the State House in Abuja on Tuesday.
This approval is coming 10 months after the President approved the establishment of the presidential committee to address herders and farmers’ clashes and strengthen livestock and dairy industries.
Why Creating this Ministry?
For years on end, Nigeria has been a hotbed of clashes between farmers and herders. From Oyo, Benue, and Ebonyi to Plateau and several other cities and towns, there have been diverse cases of these frictions, many of which remain unresolved to date.
To address this challenge, the President has fine-tuned the creation of a ministry that will look into these matters and make amends where necessary. According to him, the new ministry holds the key to the age-long solution the nation has been searching for.
In his words: “To enable Nigeria to finally take advantage of livestock farming, we have seen the solution and opportunity for this adversity that has plagued us over the years and I believe the prosperity is here in our hands.”
What to expect from the Presidency in the coming days
With the advent of this ministry, the President also assures Nigerians that they can now anticipate maintaining the quality and safety of perishable commodities from the farm to the market thereby reducing wastage and ensuring a stable supply of these commodities.
Following this approval, the Federal Government is fully prepared to cover the cost of acquiring enough lands to ensure the peaceful co-existence of ranchers and farmers.
Moving forward, President Bola Tinubu will chair the presidential committee on livestock reforms, while former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Attahiru Jega will be the deputy chairman.
This committee is expected to propose recommendations aimed at fostering a peaceful co-existence between herders and farmers. They will also help in further ensuring the security and economic well-being of Nigerians.
