Friday 16 October 2015

Reps want upgrade of grazing areas



The House of Representatives on Thursday, urged the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to urgently upgrade existing cattle grazing areas in the country.
It has also said that the ministry should establish cattle rearing settlements and equip them with basic facilities.
The call followed a motion by Rep. Wale Raji (Lagos-APC) on the need to address incessant clashes between herdsmen, farmers and their host communities in Nigeria.
Raji expressed concern that in spite of measures adopted by successive governments, the problem seemed to have defied all solutions.
He said that the development had assumed a dangerous dimension with the recent invasion of the farmland of Chief Olu Falae.
According to him, the situation is capable of threatening the peace and unity of the country.
Raji identified urbanisation, growth in population, deforestation as some of the factors responsible for the ‘’heavy’’ depletion of customary grazing lands across the country.
He added that seasonal migration and strain in relationship between herdsmen, farmers and host communities also accounted for the problem.
``As a panacea for peace among the feuding parties, it is expedient for cattle rearing settlement, equipped with grazing reserves, residential accommodation, health and educational infrastructure to be established.
``This is necessary to bring cattle breeding in tandem with modern practices, thereby, discouraging pastoral migration, ’’he said.
The lawmaker stressed that the prevailing precarious security situation in the country could be worsened by the increasing clashes in communities, if they were not addressed urgently.
Adopting the motion through a unanimous vote, the house also passed a resolution that herdsmen should be registered in order to have a comprehensive data base on them. (NAN)

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