The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has expressed support for President Bola Tinubu’s decision to establish a Ministry of Livestock Development.
MACBAN’s president, Baba Othman-Ngelzarma, hailed the move as the right step toward unlocking the potential of Nigeria’s ‘trillion-naira’ livestock economy.
In a statement released on Tuesday in Abuja, Othman-Ngelzarma said the new ministry would create jobs across the livestock value chain and boost the Nigerian economy.
According to him, the development fulfills the long-standing hope of Nigerian pastoralists under Tinubu’s “Renew Hope Agenda.”
“With this development, MACBAN believes, the hope of the Nigerian pastoralists is now achieved under the Renew Hope Agenda.
“We as an association had for years been agitating tooth and nail to actulise the creation of a stand-alone ministry to modernise livestock production system in line with global best practices,” he said.
Othman-Ngelzarma pledged MACBAN’s support to the Federal Government in transforming livestock production into a foreign exchange earner and reducing farmer-herder conflicts.
The creation of the Ministry of Livestock Development was announced by President Tinubu during the inauguration of the Renewed Hope Livestock Reform Implementation Committee at the State House in Abuja. Tinubu, who chairs the committee, appointed Professor Attahiru Jega as deputy chairman.
The president identified opportunities in the livestock sector to include animal feed production and veterinary services. He expressed optimism that the new ministry would help develop the economy and provide opportunities for excellence while addressing conflicts between herders and farmers across the country.
The Vice-President Kashim Shettima, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, and Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila, were among those who attended the inauguration ceremony.
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