President Bola Tinubu has urged governors to provide grazing land in their respective states to address the country’s protracted farmer-herder crisis.
Tinubu spoke on Monday as he launched Niger State’s food security and agricultural mechanization programme.
The project was initiated by the Niger state government. Its goal is to “focus on the deployment of technology for large-scale agro-value chain development”.
Tinubu stated that his administration is committed to ensuring food security and protecting local industries to drive the country’s long-term economic growth.
The president stated that if governors provide grazing land, he is committed to implementing a comprehensive programme to resolve the farmer-herders crisis within two or three weeks.
Tinubu said:
“We have seen the level of commitment here. We have seen leadership. The success of any leader will depend on the ability to do what needs to be done when it ought to be done.”
“It is now time for us to address the challenges and make Nigeria an economy of opportunities. We must care for our people; and re-orient our people. I do not see why Nigeria cannot feed all students in its schools.
“I know what it means as an economic sabotage for roaming cows to eat up the crops and the vegetation of our land. I know it is painful. But when we re-orient the herders and make provision for cattle rearing, we can address that.
“You are the governors who must provide the land; provide us the land. I, as the President, am committed to giving you, in a two-three week, a comprehensive programme that will solve this problem.”
As an immediate intervention measure, the president urged sub-national governments to implement wage awards in their respective states.
He stated that this will supplement the federal government’s efforts to reduce the burden on citizens while the minimum wage is increased.
Age-old conflicts between farmers and herders, particularly in Nigeria’s arid northern region, frequently result in communal conflict, property destruction, loss of life, and displacement of entire communities, exacerbating the country’s humanitarian crisis.
Source: TheCable
