The National Assembly has demanded a detailed report on the development projects and programmes of the newly-established Ministry of Livestock Development, especially the component on resolving the hydra-headed farmer/herder conflicts bedeviling the country.
The Joint Committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives on Livestock Development gave the directive in Abuja on Tuesday during the defence of the ministry’s 2025 budget.
The development came as lawmakers expressed shock over the paltry N11.8billion budgeted by the ministry following a presentation by the Minister in charge of the ministry, Mukhtar Maiha.
Lawmakers also heard that six months following its establishment, the white paper to address asset sharing between it and the Ministry of Agriculture/Food Security as well as other ground work plans had not been released.
Out of the N11.8bn, the sum of N10bn was earmarked for capital projects, while the balance of N1.8bn was set aside for overhead spending.
Speaking on the proposals of the ministry, the Chairman, House Committee on Livestock Development, Hon. Wale Raji, told the minister that the presidential committee on the action plan of the ministry had given its budgetary estimates across the next two to three years.
For instance, Raji disclosed that up to N109bn was recommended as the budget for 2025, expressing concern that an envelope of N11.8bn was handed over to the ministry.
Lawmakers told the minister not to have the impression that livestock development was all about cattle and ranches.
They said the job of the ministry cut across a broad area, including poultry, animal production and care, piggery, sheep/goat breeding, sensitisation, farmer/herder crisis, cattle production and provision of water resources.
Raji said, “If this ministry is not well-funded in line with the report (of the presidential committee), there is no time, because 2025 is the year before 2026, a pre-election year.
“By 2026, attention will shift to elections. So, this 2025 is a very important year for the ministry to make progress.
“You need to present a supplementary budget to cover the wide range of the livestock sector, including poultry, piggery, sheep, goat, etc.”
Hon. Raji spoke further, “I am sure you have taken notes on the observations and we want you to work on them. Give us a report on all challenges.
“We expect that your white paper should have been out by now.”
Also speaking, a former governor of Plateau State, Sen. Simon Lalong, faulted the allocation of 18 percent of the ministry’s votes to the North-West of the country, arguing that it showed that the region and the North-East were favoured.
Lalong observed that the North-Central, an area regularly on the news over land disputes between herders and farmers, should have been allocated more than the 14 percent share of the capital budget it got.
He stated, “This ministry is to address security issues of farmers and herders. The North-Central should have more funds because it has most of the institutes for livestock development. They have been moribund for years and need adequate funding.
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“The North-Central is key in developing this sector in terms of availability of land and water resources. So, your team should beware of these key elements.”
On his part, Sen. Musa Mustapha, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Livestock Development, said the report by the ministry must be “compelling”, covering projections for the sector, especially value chain development, animal health/disease control, climate change mitigation and initiatives for empowering youth and women for useful engagement in the livestock sector.
However, making a presentation earlier, the minister spoke of the challenges of the new ministry, among which he listed lack of adequate accommodation space, having taken off fully about three months ago.
Maiha said the ministry was currently being accommodated by the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) pending the outcome of its engagement with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr Nyesom Wike, on the provision of a befitting accommodation space.
He defended the small size of the budget, saying that it would still provide a roadmap to get the ministry to take off effectively.
Among the key projects of the ministry are a proposal to establish ranches in selected locations in the country with the sum of N315million voted for a start.
The ranches are to be cited in Lagos, Ogun, Cross River, Taraba, Admawa and Kebbi states.
It also budgets N150m for poultry domestication farms in Delta, Abia and Bauchi states, among other projects.
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