Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu has announced the establishment of the Ministry of Livestock Development.
The announcement was made during the inauguration of the Renewed Hope Livestock Reform Implementation Committee, created to address the ongoing farmers-herders crisis.
Key figures present at the inauguration included Kashim Shettima, Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume, and Chief of Staff to the President Femi Gbajabiamila, among other cabinet members.
This initiative follows Tinubu’s approval in September 2023 to form a Presidential Committee focused on reforming the livestock industry and finding long-term solutions to the recurrent conflicts between herders and farmers.
The decision was influenced by a report from the National Conference on Livestock Reforms and Mitigation of Associated Conflicts in Nigeria.
The creation of the new ministry aligns with the demands of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN).
Last month, MACBAN President Alhaji Baba Usman Ngelzarma advocated for a dedicated ministry to holistically address the entire livestock value chain, including production, processing, marketing, transportation, and security issues.
Ngelzarma stated, ‘‘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,’’ he added.
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