President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday announced that his government will work with the option of ranching recommended by the Presidential Committee on Livestock Reforms, a bold initiative towards reforming Nigeria’s livestock industry, enhancing food security and ending years of conflicts between herders/farmers that resulted in killings and destruction of properties in many parts of the country.
“These ranches you recommend, and promote, I will work with it. Traditional livestock system must be reformed to add significant and sustainable value to Nigeria’s economic growth and development. With all measures that are available to us,” Tinubu said while inaugurating the Presidential Committee on Livestock Reforms at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
President Tunubu at the event also announced the creation of a Ministry of Livestock Development, with a Minister to be appointed soon.
The committee which is now named the Renewed Hope livestock reform implementation committee, is expected to collaborate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to develop recommendations aimed at fostering peaceful coexistence between herders and farmers while ensuring the security and economic well-being of Nigerians.
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The establishment of the Committee in September 2023 followed the submission of a report from the National Conference on Livestock Reforms and Mitigation of Associated Conflicts in Nigeria, convened by the former Governor of Kano State and Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, last year.
President Tinubu who is chairman of the committee appointed the former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Attahiru Jega, alternate-chairman Jega replaces the APC chairman on the committee.
Speaking, President Tinubu emphasized that the solution to the long-standing conflicts between farmers and herders is at hand, for the distinguished personalities and their collective experience on the committee to help resolve.
He said that the livestock and dairy industry offers substantial commercial and economic advantages that can boost agricultural productivity, enhance export opportunities, and stimulate economic growth.
Tinubu thanked Ganduje, for convening the National Conference on Livestock Reforms and Mitigation of Associated Conflicts in Nigeria, whose recommendations informed the decision to constitute the presidential committee.
The President while announcing the appointment of Jega as the co-chair of the committee, said he wants to remove any element of partisan politics to ensure the focus remains on the opportunity to create wealth and better the lives of Nigerians.
President Tinubu noted the need to utilize available technologies, such as herder identification with chips and tracking, to support the implementation of the livestock reforms.
He also called on the Attorney General of the Federation, the Budget and Economic Planning Minister, and the Finance Minister to prioritize and provide the necessary legal, budgetary, and financial support for the successful implementation of the committee’s objectives.
Tinubu expressed confidence in the committee’s ability to deliver on the livestock reforms and create a prosperous future for the country.
“I’m here before you to inaugurate the committee for the implementation of the livestock in our beloved country. First, I must say thank you very much to those who said the solution is far, I said no, the solution is here. With these distinguished personalities, names, the intellectual capacity, majority of you have great experience and you want Nigeria to prosper.
“First and foremost, to provide impetus to enable Nigeria to finally take advantage of livestock farming, dairy product, cold chain logistics, collectively offers substantial commercial and economic advantages.
We have seen the solution and opportunity, with this adversity that has plagued us over the years, and I believe the prosperity is here in your hands,” Tunubu noted.
The President continued “The dairy industry contributes significantly to nutrition and food security that supply essential proteins and vitamins through the milk and its derivatives such chess, yogurt, butter, and economic advantages. Efficient cold-chain, logistics are crucial in maintaining the quality and safety of these perishable goods from farm to market, thereby reducing food waste and ensuring a steady supply.
“This sector will boost agricultural productivity, enhance export opportunities, and stimulate economic growth by fostering a robust value chain that benefits farmers, processors, herders, distributors and consumers alike.
“Let me take advantage of the presence here, to thank the former executive governor of Kano State and the chairman of All Progressives Congress, Abdullahi Ganduje for assembling the best minds and experts to find solution by convening national conference on livestock reforms and mitigation of associate conflicts in Nigeria in February last here.
“The far-reaching recommendation in their report informed our decision to constitute and inaugurate this presidential committee on the implementation of livestock reforms and seize the great opportunity to better the lives of our people, rather than the conflict-promoted agenda.
“It is our renewed hope and I believe that hope is here in trying to see a great opportunity for wealth in a situation that is very conducive. I must mention here that, I have discussed on a number of occasions with the governors, the need to seize this opportunity, let’s run with it from here.
“At this juncture, I will appeal to remove everything of partisan politics from it, assume the chairmanship of the committee as the president and appointed Professor Attahiru Jega as my deputy or co-chair. And I asked Dr Ganduje, we say thank you, just remove yourself so that anything of politics in this environment will be erased completely. This is not about politics, this is about opportunity, this is about our nation. So, while I may be absent, Jega will preside and contribute to promote.
“We’ve solved the problem, we have identified the models for livestock management, it is done in other countries, in other climes successfully promoted. It created great economy and empowerment for ordinary people.
“Traditional livestock system must be reformed to add significant and sustainable value to Nigeria’s social economic growth and development. With all measures that is available to us.
“I don’t want us to turn this environment to another talk opportunity, I just want to inaugurate this community to ensure that I am ready. I assure you and the Nigerian public that we need to create this economy, seize this opportunity.
“These ranches you recommend, and promote, I will work with it. And luckily, we have information and technology minister present too, herds of cows can be identified with chips and be tracked these days. If other technologies is available to us, we are ready to work. As I said from the beginning, with you, all of you, the solution is here and we must run with it.
“The governors are hereby represented, any law that might inhibit the promotion and the actualization of our objective, the Attorney General is here, please give it a priority and budget and economic planning minister is here, find a budget head for it to grow and finance is here as well to work hard for the money,” the President said.
Tinubu added that “When you have great opportunity as this, why should Nigeria continue in conflict with the caliber of the people that is here? This presents a unique opportunity also to delineate and establish a separate ministry called the Ministry of Livestock Development.
“We will develop the economy, give people the opportunity to excel. Our vet doctors can give us the necessary opportunity to rear, crossbreed and stop the wanton killings, even animal feeds is a huge economy.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, I hereby inaugurate, the Renewed Hope Livestock Reform Implementation Committee in Nigeria. It is now in your hands, we are ready to work for success of this programme and for the success of the entire nation. So we leave a Nigerian flag without stain to our children”, he said.
