5 things Osinbajo’s NEC will do about crisis

The National Economic Council (NEC) held a meeting on Thursday, April 26, 2018; with deliberations revolving around improving the agricultural sector and dealing with the lingering killer herdsmen crisis bedeviling Nigeria.

The NEC is chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

This week, the technical sub-committee set up by the NEC working group submitted its interim report to Osinbajo.

The NEC sub-committee is headed by Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State.

Here are 5 things the NEC sub-committee proposed:

1. No ban on the movement of herdsmen

Contrary to what was reported in some sections of the local press, NEC did not discuss or pronounce a ban on the movement of herdsmen.

2. Scarce land is the root cause of herdsmen crisis

The sub-committee visited 5 out of 7 frontline States affected by the herdsmen/farmers clashes.

The States visited were Zamfara, Nasarawa, Adamawa, Taraba and Benue.

In its report to NEC, the sub-committee noted that the root cause of the crisis is the struggle for scarce land resource.

3. The 5 affected States were asked to donate land for ranching

The report from the sub committee recommended that the State governments of the five affected States donate land to herdsmen for ranching purposes.

Gov Umahi says: "So, in all we agreed that there is a more profitable and modern way of raising these cows which is by ranching. So, we have agreed that the States involved are going to give lands. Niger and Kaduna have given lands and Plateau is also giving land.

"Ranching is being practised in Mambila in Taraba State and they have success stories with regards to that."

4. NEC says farmers need to be educated on the benefits of ranching

According to the NEC sub-committee, ranching would enhance the production of healthy cattle in the country.

Governor Umahi says: "In all, we agreed that movement is not profitable to the herdsmen because they value the milk from the cow even more than the cow itself.

"So, movement is not healthy for the cows as it dries up the meat and give less than two litres of milk per cow per day.

"We also agreed that these movements have to stop and occasionally by those who have settled and integrated from other parts of the country like the middle belt, they sometimes go into conflicts with farmers".

5. NEC says its recommendations will transform livestock farming in Nigeria

NEC identified the need to transform the livestock industry into a model for cattle production in order to curb constant clashes between herdsmen and farmers.

Governor Umahi said most of the killings, especially in Benue State, are carried out by herdsmen from outside the country. NEC called for the deployment of more security operatives in the affected areas.