Work with north to implement open grazing ban, coalition tells southern governors

The Coalition of Southern Groups (CSG), a non-governmental organisation, has called on governors in the region to build synergy with their northern counterparts for speedy implementation of the ban on open grazing.

After a meeting on Tuesday, southern governors announced their resolve to ban open grazing and movement of cattle by foot in the region.

The governors had said the decision was taken to tackle insecurity and address clashes between farmers and herders.

In a resolution passed by the CSG after an emergency meeting on Thursday, the group expressed support for the governors’ decision, and urged them to provide financial support, training and sophisticated armoury to the various security networks established in the region.

The resolution was signed by Oladotun Hassan, Okwu Nnabuike, and Pereotubo Oweilaemi, president, secretary general, and publicity secretary of the group, respectively.

“We wish to implore the (southern) governors to aggressively work on building stronger national alliances with their northern counterparts, in order to forge a common face for the ongoing emancipation struggle confronting the Nigerian nation,” he said.

“In view of the affirmed resolution by the Southern Governors Forum that the peoples of southern Nigeria remain committed to the unity of Nigeria on the basis of justice, fairness, equity and oneness, we hereby request the (southern) governors to extend hands of solidarity to the Northern Governors Forum, all senators, house of representatives and state houses of assembly to jointly build bigger frontiers of unity, on the premise of principles of necessity and concentration of forces to implement all agreed resolutions with specific timeliness before the first quarter of 2022.

“We implore that less attention be placed on the federal government’s intervention, due to their lack of genuine willingness to support willing southern states to develop alternative and modern livestock management systems.”

While calling for the strengthening of various security networks established in southern Nigeria, CSG advised the governors to move a step further by setting up what it referred to as the “National Joint Regional Security Networks Agency”.

The group also called for establishment of mass grazing reserves, and urged foreign and local investors to take advantage of the opportunities in the agricultural sector.