Herders-farmers crisis: Govs want speedy implementation of modern ranching initiative

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) says state governments should put in place systems to accelerate the implementation of the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP) to address the farmers-herders crisis in the country.

The resolution by the governors was reached after they held a teleconference on Wednesday to discuss issues affecting their states.

The NLTP was inaugurated by the federal government in 2019, as part of efforts to promote modern programmes on cattle rearing across Nigeria.

According to the governors, there is a need for the country to transition into modern systems of animal husbandry that would replace open, night and underage grazing.

“Following an update from governors on the various initiatives taken by state governments to address the rising insecurity in the country due to the activities of herdsmen, members reached a consensus on the need for the country to transition into modern systems of animal husbandry that will replace open, night and underage grazing in the country,” a communique issued after the meeting reads.

“State governments are encouraged to put in place systems to accelerate the grazing initiative of the National Livestock Transformation Plan and ranching in the country.

“The Forum respects the right of abode of all Nigerians, and strongly condemns criminality and the ethnic profiling of crime in the country in an effort to frame the widespread banditry and the herders-farmers crisis.”

The communique also quoted Kayode Fayemi, Ekiti governor and chairman of the forum, as saying that an advisory committee would be inaugurated to guide the governors on the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines.

“The Forum is also engaging directly with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) to ensure that vaccines are administered equitably, first to workers who are on the frontlines of the pandemic,” it read.

“The Forum deliberated on the underutilisation of fiscal facilities in the country, including the Universal Basic Education (UBE) Fund, the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF), and the Saving One Million Lives programme for results (SOML), which are meant to expand the size and scope of resources spent on health and education across all states of the federation.”