From Abdullahi Shugaba, Katsina
Former Chairman of the Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Jigawa State Chapter, Alhaji Ya’u Malammadori has appealed to the Federal Government to create Ministry for Livestock and Animal Production.
Malammadori made the appeal while speaking to newsmen in Katsina on Thursday in response to the 2.5 million tonnes of fertilizer recently released by the Federal Government which were distributed to farmers through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
According to him, they will not benefit from the gesture because when it comes to distribution of such items to general farmers, herders and cattle breeders are always excluded.
The former chairman noted that in view of the above, the need for the Federal Government to create Ministry for Livestock and Animal Production becomes imperative.
“I think if this is done, government can distribute assorted grass seeds through the ministry to herders and cattle breeders for planting to graze their animals on which will go a long to minimizing the incessant herders/ farmers clashes in the country.
“We observed that Government is always lopsided in the distribution of agric input to farmers forgetting that herders and cattle breeders are also farmers.
“We gave support to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu but wondered we are always neglected when comes to distribution of farm inputs that will improve our wellbeing.
“In fact most the the clashes between herders and farmers in the country are due to lack of cogent policies and that can regulate animal grazing.
“Let me announced that most of the traditional rulers in the country use to connive with unscrupulous politicians in government and be seizing lands used for grazing of our animals.
“If this happened and we resisted, we normally arrested, detained and taken to court. The police and judges use that opportunity to be extorting money from us
“I think if government can establish ministry for livestock and formulate policies that will regulate the activities of herders , all these problems will not happen.
“My prayer is, I hope President Tinubu will listen to us to create ministry of livestock to ensure equity and social justice towards agricultural development in the country.”
