The attendant effect of the now 15 years old various forms of insecurity persistently scorching Northern Nigeria is not just the monumental global-class humanitarian crisis enmeshing majority of the region’s population with the most-pathetic state of vulnerability and impoverishment; it has also crushed the economy of the region to the most-pathetic level, characterised by the most-drastic reduction of agricultural production, cattle rearing and internal and transborder commercial activities, for which the region has been famous since centuries past.
Apart from agricultural production, the region has, for centuries, been famous for cattle rearing and trade.
With cattle rearing and trade across the region, with its sister Southern region of Nigeria, and across the international borders with the neighbouring west and central African countries, Northern region built a strong bond of economic fellowship with the neighbouring African subregions.
The insecurity – Boko Haram/ISWAP in the Northeast, banditry, kidnapping and cattle rustling mainly in the Northwest and North-central, has ruined cattle rearing locations, diminished cattle rearing with a frightening speed and blocked majority of the routes through which the trade was conducted across Nigeria and across the borders with the neighbouring West and Central African countries.
As the once-glorious Nigerian cattle trade wallows in the insecurity-inflicted anguish, then came, the debilitating economic hardship characterised by the withdrawal of oil subsidy which spiraled the cost of the animals and their transportation far up to the skies beyond the reach of most of the traders.
These two devastating economic tragedies led to the rapid rise of the cost of the animals, as a cow or bull that used to sell for, say, N150,000 to N250,000 just about ten years ago, now sells for about N1000,000. Even a goat that used to sell for, say, N15,000 in those years now sell for between N80,000 and N100,000.
The rapid depletion of the animal population due to the persistent insecurity, and the rapid increase in the cost of fuel solidly connived to orchestrate the skyrocketing prices of the animals.
The cost of transporting one head of cattle from, say, Maiduguri to Lagos, which used to fluctuate between N10,000 and N12,000 just about ten years ago, has now been hiked to between N100,000 and N150,000, as the Maiduguri – Lagos transportation cost for a truckload of the cattle is N3 million.
Yobe, Borno creates livestock ministry to reduce overdependence on FAAC
The Borno and Yobe states government has rolled out plans to reduce its reliance on statutory allocations from the federation accounts to discharge its duties and responsibilities to the state.
The state governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, said while presenting the state’s 2025 appropriation bill to the State House of Assembly, Tuesday, December 10 that the government would, more than ever before, intensively explore all avenues of internally generated revenue.
He recalled Yobe and Borno state pre-insurgency glory in livestock production in West and Central Africa, declaring that, with the restoration of sufficient security, state government would revive and leverage it and its accompanying transborder livestock trade to generate substantial revenue.
Speaking, the Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, also approved the creation of the Ministry of Livestock Development with immediate effect to enhance food security and the economic growth.
The announcement from the office of the Secretary to the State Government indicated that the Governor further directed the Secretary to the State Government, the Head of Service and the Commissioner for Agriculture to work out the mandate of the new ministry, office accommodation and deployment of staff to ensure its immediate take off. The ministry is part of the governor’s strategic efforts to boost the agricultural sector.
Recently, Mai Mala disclosed at the launched of the Yobe State Government’s support initiatives to empower citizens to rekindle their hope, and strengthen their resilience in response to the horrific impact of the 2024 flood disaster.
He noted that initiatives reflect the guiding principles of his administration: to protect the vulnerable, empower our citizens, and create pathways for self-reliance and prosperity.
He underscored his commitment to the welfare of our people and providing enable environs for the people of the state to contribute their quota to the economy growth of the state, reiterate immediate recovery needs and laying the foundation for long-term economic resilience.
“In recognition of the vital roles played by small businesses owners in driving grassroots economic growth. This initiative brings to a total of over N2.93 billion support to the beneficiaries.
“While these measures have been helpful, the scale of destruction calls for a more robust and sustainable response. These interventions reflect the government’s commitment to safeguarding the welfare of its citizens while strengthening resilience and recovery across the State.
Food security, agricultural revitalisation our major focus – Bego
Also, Abdlahi Bego, who is the State Commissioner for Information, said Mai Mala Buni conducted a media briefing where he reflected on the achievements of his administration during the year and what he hopes to accomplish in the months and years ahead.
According to Bego, he said the briefing covered all the key socio-economic sectors where projects and programmes were executed and implemented by the administration during the year.
“As we look back on this outgoing year”, the governor said, “I can say that 2024 is and has been a very eventful year for the state. Through robust and prudent management of scarce resources, we were able to turn around the fortunes of our people by making significant investments in healthcare, education, agriculture, wealth and job creation, and road construction, amongst others. We have also continued with the projects we have started earlier and made significant progress towards their completion.”
Going into the details of the services rendered, the governor mentioned the large scale Agric intervention executed this year that was not precedented in the history of the state. “In the area of agriculture and food security, 2024,” he said “saw the launching of the largest Agric empowerment support for farmers in the history of our state. Through our agricultural revitalisation programme, the sum of N15.3 billion was spent to provide farm implements and inputs to 5,340 farmers across the 178 wards of the state. The state government is also spending N1.7 billion in the procurement of assorted grains for our strategic grains reserve.”
Buni also spoke about the healthcare sector. “2024 is also a significant year for our health and human services sector”, the governor asserted. “As many of you have reported, our effort in the healthcare sector led Yobe State to win 500,000 US dollars in the primary healthcare leadership challenge for states in the North-East sub-region.
“We have achieved 100% payment of hazard allowances and adjustment of CONMESS and CONHESS salary scales to healthcare workers, recruited 311 new members of staff, including doctors, nurses and other cadres, and ensured the continuation of our free dialysis programme for kidney patients.
“We have also embarked on the renovation and reconstruction work at the State Specialist Hospital, Damaturu; we have provided high-quality hospital mattresses and procured anti-bacterial curtain system at Maternal and Child Health Complex, Damaturu.
“In the area of contributory healthcare, we have continued to provide support to 222 primary healthcare providers through capitation and 24 secondary healthcare facilities through fee-for-service arrangement under the State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (YSCHMA). The State Government has also constructed a modern ICT Center to enhance social protection initiatives for the benefit of the people of the state. As of October 2024, YSCHMA has enrolled a total of 275,358 people into the contributory healthcare scheme in the state, reflecting the agency’s commitment to expanding healthcare coverage across the state.
“We have also built an ante-natal and VIP ward at Women and Children Hospital, Damaturu, constructed an Accident and Emergency complex and a one-storey building doctors’ quarters at State Specialist Hospital, Buni-Yadi, procured and distributed various state-of-the-art medical equipment across different healthcare facilities in the state and kept the momentum on the ongoing research on chronic kidney disease affecting some local government areas of the state. We have also procured an important software for our MRI Machine at the Yobe State University Teaching Hospital (YSUTH), Damaturu – the PV VAR ASSAT Software,” he said.
In his brief introductory remarks as the state’s commissioner of information, he noted that “throughout history, information is and has always been an indispensable factor in every form of responsible, progressive governance – It’s an important, catalysing factor in political governance, economic governance, security governance.
“It is what ensures that no vacuum is allowed between what the government is doing on behalf of the people and what the people know about what the government is doing on their behalf. It builds confidence; it nurtures trust; it strengthens that unbreakable compact between the people and their government. It is this nexus – this symbiotic, mutually beneficial relationship – that should provide for a harmonious working relationship between the government and all its branches and the media as the fourth estate of the realm”.
He observed that “Yobe State and indeed Nigeria as a whole cannot thrive or make any meaningful progress without peace and security and the participation of all citizens” which requires that “the mass media always focuses attention on what brings people together, not what sets them apart”. Bego explained.
Read also: World Bank implements support mission in Kogi to boost livestock production
Yobe’s livestock alone can boost economy – Abdulmumin
Abdulmumin Kolo Gulani, Damaturu-based Public Commentator said that the establishment of the Ministry of Livestock Development in Yobe State is a great effort to boost the economy of the state and livestock production. Yobe State has popular cattle markets that are considered among the best markets in Africa, more particularly; Garin-Alkali, Kukareta, Potiskum, Nguru and Ngelzarma, Babban-Gida and Geidam Markets.
“With the creation of the ministry, if it is properly managed, there will be provision of food security and economic development as far as the state government will deploy competent individuals that will steer the affairs of the ministry.
And this is the only way that will save a state like Yobe from the fear of ‘Tax Reform Bill’ as proposed by the Federal Government for each state to control its tax.
“In livestock alone, Yobe State can boost it economy through improving the breeding, quality feed, proper health and processing of beef to outside the state and even to foreign countries.
He commended Mai Mala Buni for creating the ministry in Yobe State, “It’s our ardent hope that the government will give priority to the ministry as livestock production is essential and it will bring about poverty alleviation and economic growth of the state.
Livestock value chain is like petroleum – Khalil
Speaking on the development, Khalil Mohammed Bello, National President of the Kulen Allah Cattle Rearers Association of Nigeria (KACRAN), lamented that the livestock development had been totally neglected ot the pastoralists for over 50 years, despite their economy value to the national building.
He livestock is a bedrock for agricultural production, more especially with regard to livestock development because the value chain of livestock is enormous and many things are linked to animal production, the value chain of livestock and numerous are not even countable.
“We pastoralists of as well as Nigeria at large, we are so much grateful to Borno and Yobe states for creating the ministry of livestock development. So because through livestock, you can get dairy milk, you can process meat, you can process leathers, nutritional food for the people of the nation and many things. We contribute immensely towards revenue existing generation, because from the bush to the market, middlemen and dealers, there are many value chain links to it, they pay revenue.
“Even at slaughter houses, millions of naira used to be generated. So surely, even hotels. Even that arable farming, without livestock in the northern part farmers can’t do much, they livestock fertilizing their farms, the benefits is much more.
He urged state governments to prioritise funding of the Ministry with modern equipment and expertise to boost production and reproduction of livestock which in return would generate more taxes to these two states.
“Livestock revenue generation has shown that it’s like petroleum. Now, when you boost your production, you get more money. Now into production is more to fly, you get more now. So, by creating this ministry, government attention will be geared towards promoting animal production and reproduction, that will give these states their actual status of being the mother of animal supply to Nigerians and even other neighboring states.
“We are benefiting minimally, apart from that, when we are transporting animals to other part of this country, we have been extorted ruthlessly by security agencies. Apart from that, transportation cost, at any security checkpoint you have to pay money continuously. The animal dealers are always complaining of this,” he said.
Our people lost their livelihoods, and livestock to insurgency – CSO’s
Ahmed Shehu, the Chairman of the Network of Civil Society Organisations in the Northeast and Lake Chad region, explained that insurgents had severely affected livestock business owners, and many farmers lost their source livelihoods to the crisis.
He admonished the governors to put the interest of the people first while underscoring the importance of appointing the right people with the capacity and experience to manage these particular sectors as a nexus between development and growth.
“This is a good development, as long as it will serve the interests of the people and also address the issue of concerns, considering that livestock is one of the livelihoods of these communities, especially in Borno and Yobe states. Farming and rearing of animals is the backbone of the communities that insurgency impacted the communities.
He charged the authorities, “We have people with experience who can entrust with this important ministry. Also, the government should be strategic, especially looking at how they should explore the process of generating revenue rather than relying on monthly federal allocation. We have a lot of opportunities here. We’re one of the largest producers of this livestock in Nigeria. So, exploring these opportunities and improving the breed system through exporting the hybrid from other countries that have already proven.
“They sit down and then map out a strategy on how the people can be supported. Most people have lost the source of their livelihoods to this crisis. So, people have lost their means of livelihood, farmlands their animals were stolen, and valuable things. They should invest more in security to ensure access to pastures and farmlands. This will not only guarantee food security but also income per capita.
“So, I think the community should be empowered with the grant, by the distribution of animals so that they can be able to raise it, considering that anybody that neglect livestock sectors and clicking implication to even the health and wellbeing of the citizens, because it will afford more opportunities. Nowadays, people hardly eat meat even once a month, but now, with the development, the nutrition level of the community will be increased, if the government can prioritise a citizens-driven approach,” he said.
With this development, Yobe becomes the second state to establish the Ministry of Livestock Development, with the first being Borno State is reduced overdependent on the monthly federation accounts allocation committee.
Yobe diversifying in livestock, agriculture to boost internally tax generation.
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