The Edo State government on Wednesday said a policy on ranching is underway to proffer solutions to the incessant clashes between farmers and herders in the state.
Peter Aikhuomobhogbe, Permanent Secretary, Edo State Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, made the disclosure when he played host to members of the New Nigerian Initiative (NNI), a group in Benin City.
Aikhuomobhogbe, who assured that the state government is making efforts to ensure food security in the state, noted that it will not hesitate to do anything that will help nip the problem between farmers and herders in the bud.
According to him, we want to eat meat, but let us do it in a ranch; let’s encourage ranching in our state. The state government is developing a policy on ranching.
Corroborating, Uwadiae Odigie, President of the group said the adoption of ranching would increase the rate of cattle production, generate more income for livestock farmers, improve security and curb cattle rustling.
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Odigie, while opining that open herding is crude and has led to many ethnic clashes, said a ban on open grazing would prevent farmers and herders’ clashes to the barest minimum.
He therefore, urged the Edo State House of Assembly to swiftly consider and pass a bill prohibiting open cattle grazing in the State.
He explained that the private bill initially sent to the House in June 2000 didn’t yield any result, and was recently spurred by the resurgence of attacks to send another bill christened “A bill by NNI for a law to prohibit open cattle grazing in Edo State”.
“It is not contestable that our dear Edo State, and the entire country, are being gripped by endemic brutalities, untold cruelties and awful cycles of events masterminded by a gang of outlaws called herdsmen.
“NNI had in the wake of these attacks on June 28, 2000 dropped a private bill on the prohibition of cattle grazing in the state in Edo State house of assembly. But, regrettably nothing came out of it and the result has been the reign of reckless bloodshed perpetuated by criminals who called themselves herdsmen.
“We solicit the support of governor Godwin Obaseki to lobby it so that the bill can be passed in record time,” Odigie said.
The group’s call is coming on the heels of continuous protest by residents, including women, against unabated attacks by suspected herdsmen on farmers and destruction of food crops.
