Concerns Over Delay In Livestock Ministry’s Take-off

There are growing concerns in the north over the delay in the take-off of the Ministry of Livestock Development announced by President Bola Tinubu in July.

At an event on July 9, 2024, Tinubu named the National Livestock Reforms Committee, led by Professor Attahiru Jega, to work-out the modalities for its seamless take-off.

The committee, among others, was mandated to provide sector-focused solutions to address the age-long farmers-herders crisis.

Before this, the National Livestock Reforms Committee on September 14, 2023, recommended that the federal government create a “Ministry of Livestock Resources” to check the decades-long fierce conflict between farmers and cattle herders across the country.

The Jega committee is chaired by the president.

But, 52 days after its inauguration, the committee has yet to submit its report to the president.

When he visited Tinubu on July 27, 2024, Jega promised that the committee’s report would be ready in two weeks, that is, on August 7, 2024.

And 24 days after his assurance, Jega is yet to deliver the report to the presidency.

Jega had said, “Maximum, in the next two weeks, we should be able to present a report to Mr President, from which then we can begin the process of the actual implementation.

“I believe that the challenges have been many, and I will not say it will not be difficult. It will be difficult, but it is not impossible to actually get it right, and I know that all the committee members are focused on ensuring that we get this thing right,” he said.

When LEADERSHIP Sunday inquired from officials of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security on the progress of work, one of them said the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) is the clearing agent for the livestock ministry and directed that “every inquiry should be directed to the office.”

Sources contacted in the SGF office on the issue declined to comment.

Jega is currently bereaved as his mother died on August 17, 2024.

When LEADERSHIP Sunday contacted the Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF) on the apparent standstill in the proposed ministry’s take-off, its spokesperson, Abdulazeez Suleiman, said, “The proposed establishment of a specialised livestock ministry in Nigeria was met with considerable optimism, heralding a dedicated approach to addressing the myriad challenges faced by the livestock sector.

“However, as weeks have turned into months without tangible progress, the Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF) is concerned regarding the ministry’s operational status and effectiveness.

“The formation of the livestock ministry is a critical response to pressing issues such as cattle rustling, farmer-herder conflicts and the urgent need for sustainable agricultural practices. Given that livestock farming is a significant contributor to the livelihoods of millions in Northern Nigeria, NEF emphasises the necessity of swift action and implementation of policies to benefit pastoralists and farmers alike. Prolonged delays in the ministry’s inauguration and subsequent operations could undermine public confidence and exacerbate existing tensions,” he stated.

According to him, NEF’s reaction highlights not just an administrative oversight but also reflects broader socioeconomic implications. The livestock sector is intertwined with food security, economic stability and regional peace. The forum has vocalised that the delays are detrimental, calling for increased accountability and responsiveness from the government to foster a conducive environment for the sector’s growth.

“In essence, the concerns of the Northern Elders’ Forum underscore the critical need for timely action in the establishment of the livestock ministry. As stakeholders await developments, it is imperative for government officials and policymakers to prioritise the swift operationalisation of this ministry to address the urgent needs of the livestock sector, thereby fostering a climate of cooperation and development among Nigeria’s diverse communities,” Suleiman declared.

Similarly, the national publicity secretary of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Prof T. Muhammad-Baba, said, “Personally, I find it not unexpected. The wheels of government bureaucracy move slowly, very slowly. It may take months before we see anything concrete on the ground.

“Besides, I suspect that the policy announcement was in line with the character of policy measures of the Bola Tinubu administration. It is given to announcing policy initiatives even before necessary details are ironed out, going for populist, even if misbegotten optics and/or audio effects to the detriment of concrete measures on the ground. It is sad indeed,” he said.

To the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF), while the establishment of the livestock ministry is a welcomed development, the delay in its take-off raises concerns.

Its president-general, Yerima Shettima, said President Tinubu must live up to his words and go beyond the pronouncement of the establishment of the ministry and also see to it becoming a reality for the benefit of all.

Shettima said, “We want to believe that the establishment of the livestock ministry is well-intended and not for political gains. We are watching carefully to see how it plays out eventually.

“The livestock ministry will in no small measure benefit the northern region whose people are largely agrarian; so we are waiting patiently for it to take off. I urge President Tinubu to see to it that the needful is done and on time,” he said.

Miyetti Allah, Farmers Urge Support For Smooth Take-off

But the president of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Baba Othman-Ngelzarma, told LEADERSHIP Sunday that the proposed ministry requires an enduring structure to take off properly.

He said the Jega implementation committee needs enough time to put such a structure in place.

The leader of the Fulani socio-cultural group said what is more important is for the presidential committee to do a thorough job that will stand the test of time.

Othman-Ngelzarma said, “I don’t see any delay. The committee is barely over a month old and has the enormous responsibility of putting in place a structure that will enable the ministry to achieve its mandate of turning around the fortunes of the livestock subsector.”

He expressed confidence that the committee, with Jega’s experience and standing, will come up with good recommendations that would drive the activities of the subsector.

He said the president meant well by creating a ministry that would boost livestock production, enhance activities across the value chain and foster the country’s economic development.

He suggested that the president should appoint a competent person who is devoid of sentiment and who has a passion for the development of the subsector as minister.

On his part, the president of the All Farmers’ Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Kabir Ibrahim, said there was no cause for concern over the delay in the submission of the report.

Ibrahim said farmers remain optimistic ahead of the final stage of the ministry’s operational details.

He said the delay is understandable, given that the ministry was created after the 2024 budget had already been passed, meaning that there has been no budgetary provision for it.

Addressing concerns about the government’s commitment to the livestock industry, the AFAN president expressed strong confidence, saying, “We are quite certain that the government is committed to the livestock industry as shown by the creation of the Ministry for Livestock Development.

“We are not in any way worried because we are aware of the committee that is working on the final details for the seamless take-off of the ministry,” Ibrahim said.