KACRAN Commends FG for Organizing Regional Herders-Farmers Conference

By: Michael Mike

Kulen Allah Cattle Rearers Association of Nigeria (KACRAN) has commended the federal government for organizing regional Herders-Farmers conference.

The association in a statement on Tuesday by it’s National President, Hon Khalil Bello said “KACRAN highly appreciates the Hon Minister of Agriculture for organizing the recently concluded regional Herders-Farmers conference.”

The statement further read: “KACRAN as one of the most peace loving Herders Association in the country, which always appreciate any positive moves that will end the incessant conflicts between Farmers and Herders, wish to highly appreciate and extremely commend the Hon Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Muhammad Mahmud Abubakar; the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr. Ernest A Umakhihe; and the Director Animal Husbandry Services, Dr Winnie Lai-Solarin; the entire well experienced and highly committed staff of the Ministry for successfully organizing and hosting a Regional Summit on Human and Climate Security challenges and Farmer-Herder conflict resolution in Abuja, the Federal Capital in December this year.

“The Summit was well attended by pastoralists and farmers associations in Nigeria and other neighboring countries such as Niger Republic, Chad, Cameroon and Benin.”

Bello, in the statement, added that: “Truly the initiation, organization and successful hosting of the aforementioned summit by the Hon. minister is a clear testimony of his result oriented vision, determination and purposeful leadership, which he has brought to bear on the ministry, since he assumed leadership of this all important ministry. The Hon. minister and all his well experienced and committed staff, have shown capacity and determination to immediately end all the challenges facing our agricultural sector.

“In addition, the most striking thing about this historic summit under reference, being the first of its kind in over fifty years of the history of the Ministry is that, the honourable minister in his wisdom and foresight agreed, that the livestock and fisheries sectors, which have been totally marginalized and neglected over the years will receive due attention henceforth.”

He said: “In view of this, (KACRAN) feels that making that well thought and highly articulated statement by somebody of high repute like the Hon Minister of Agriculture in the presence of esteemed Nigerians and invited delegates from the neighbouring countries is worth mentioning and deserve sincere commendation not only by KACRAN but by all Nigerians who sincerely want justice and equity for the development of our fatherland.

“In this regard, we of KACRAN deem it necessary to once more, thank the minister for the new stand of the ministry, and state that, we the members of KACRAN are happy that we are now on the same righteous page with members of the Senate, judging from the recent statement of the Senate President, Dr Ahmed Lawan, when the Hon minister led a delegation of Veterinary Doctors to him on a courtesy call in his office.The Senate President was quoted as saying that ‘the livestock sector has been totally neglected in past, and that though he does not have any Fulani blood in his vein, he would ensure that justice and fairness are equitably gotten by all in the country, and that he is ready to lead the fight on behalf for the nation’s pastoralists’ rights and liberty.’

Bello said: “At this juncture let us once again say, capital kudos to our Senate President Dr Ahmed Lawan, Hon. Minister and the entire staff of the ministry under reference who put head together to make sure that justice and fairness is fully exercise in the allocation and implementation of the Ministry’s policies and programmes.

“And Here we abundantly wish to state it in unmistakable terms that the entire members of KACRAN are so much happy and excited with the above anticipated positive developments in the livestock sector. For this reason we want to state that since the registration of KACRAN to date in our regular statements in the prints, electronics and social media, we are always crying and complaining bitterly that the nation’s pastoralists and fishermen are neglected and left behind, because much of the money meant for developing agricultural sector is painfully tilted towards developing arable farming to the detriment of the other two very important animal husbandry sectors.

“In the same vein, we want to call on Federal Government under the able leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari and our National Assemblies under the good leadership of Senate President Dr Ahmed Lawan and Rt Hon Speaker Mr Bajabiamilla to as a matter of utmost importance and clemency to create a Special Ministry of Animal Husbandry Services that will be solidly responsible for the aggressive development of livestock and fisheries sectors. This is so because of the immense contribution of these sectors in providing healthy nourishment to Nigerians and the development of the nation in general.”