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Former aide to ex-Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Laolu Akande believes Nigeria may not need a Ministry of Livestock Development due to existing policies. President Bola Tinubu approved the establishment of the ministry on Tuesday as a measure to curb the ongoing farmers-herders clashes.
Akande pointed out that the lack of will and expertise are hindering the implementation of the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP), suggesting that an additional ministry may not be necessary.
“I am not sure that we need a ministry [of livestock],” Akande said on Tuesday’s edition of Channels Television’s Politics Today. “Based on what is available to me now, I am not entirely certain that we would need a ministry to do this [curb farmers-herders clashes]. But let’s wait for more details.”
Nigeria has faced decades-long clashes between herders and farmers over access to land, pasture, and water, leading to significant loss of lives and property. Previous governments and some state governments have introduced various measures, including the NLTP and a ban on open grazing, to address the issue.
Akande believes that the effective implementation of the NLTP, introduced by the administration of ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, could transform the livestock industry in Nigeria and resolve the conflicts.
“The National Livestock Transformation Plan, if it is effectively implemented, is going to solve the problem of the farmer-herder clashes and is going to modernise the livestock industry in our country,” he stated.
