The disclosure by Kaduna State’s Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Mallam Abdulkadir Kassim, that the Federal Government has earmarked N5 billion for development of ranches in the state is information passed through the wrong channel. If it’s a Federal Government plan, it ought to have been disclosed by either of the Federal Ministries of Agriculture, Finance or Information. The money to be spent belongs to the entire federation and the people deserve to be fully and properly briefed.
It is no surprise that the Ohanaeze Ndigbo and Eastern Consultative Assembly have already kicked against the plan. When the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief AuduOgbeh earlier announced that establishment of ranches or colonies is the way out of the herders-farmers incessant clashes, opinion was evenly divided on the matter. Thereafter, sixteen states were said to have volunteered land for the project, with Kano State governor, AbdullahiGanduje announcing with fanfare that it has enough facilities for all Nigerian pastoralists.
However, Nigerians were kept in the dark with regards to developments until MallamKassim made the disclosure at a dialogue on crop and livestock production coordinated and facilitated by federal officials. The conference had participants from Kaduna, Kogi and Benue States.
It is heartwarming that Benue State, where massacre and displacement of indigenous farmers took place the most announced at the conference that it is willing to provide one ranching site in each of the three senatorial zones, and one other at Makurdi, the state capital.
This is an indication that Nigerians are ready for resolution of the crisis which Amnesty International claims had led to the death of about 3,641 of our country men and women. We, however, believe that things have to be done properly to forestall future bloody clashes. In view of livestock production being a private enterprise, Nigerians would need to be informed what the N5 billion is meant for- seed money, loan or grant? We recall that, at the submission in February of report on a projected 10-year development plan for the sector, experts had warned that creating ranches must be preceded by paying attention to six critical issues.
The first, they pointed out is availability of land, which it appears the Kaduna State Government has now provided in Laduggaa, Damau, Kargarko and BirninGwari. The second, registration of livestock farmers into cooperatives; third, development of firms for local feeds production, and fourth, development of breeds that would enhance optimum economic productivity. The fifth point they canvassed was carving out a unique credit facility for the sector, and the sixth, provision of adequate infrastructure and extension services.
These are potent points that should receive immediate attention, and if they have been addressed, Nigerians have the right to be informed. The sum is so huge that it should not just be committed to a scheme that has not been fully explored and developed. The opportunity cost of N5billion in a land devastated by insurgency, all manner of insecurity, abject poverty and squalor and poor educational infrastructure is too huge to be ignored.
Besides, states where what appears to be the pilot scheme is being considered, especially Kaduna in the instant case, are regularly confronted by banditry, cattle rustling, communal clashes and unexplained killings. Before siting a multi billion naira enterprise in the state, we must be assured that an adequate security system is already in place. But the overriding principle however, is that the public must be fully carried along in expending public fund.
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