President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday starts off the process to get back 368 grazing sites that have been encroached upon in 25 states of the federation.
To achieve this, he approved recommendations of a committee to review “with dispatch,” to determine the levels of encroachment.
Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media and Publicity), issued a statement which disclosed this, said the president’s directive followed his approval of the recommendations of a committee chaired by the Chief of Staff to the President, Professor Ibrahim Gambari.
It informed that, among others, the committee had recommended “the collection of field data collection on 368 grazing reserves across 25 states to assess encroachment and encroachers, stakeholder engagements and sensitisation.”
The committee also recommended production of maps and geo-mapping/tagging of sites, analysis of findings and report preparations, as well as design appropriate communication on grazing reserves and operations.
The statement added: “The number of the grazing reserves and states were deduced from considerations of existing security concerns and other pre-existing socioeconomic conditions.
“The president directed that the assignment be undertaken with dispatch to bring more understanding on the grazing reserves and implementation.”
Members of the committee included Kebbi State governor and vice chairman, National Food Security Council, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu; Ebonyi State governor and chairman of NEC sub-committee for National Livestock Transformation Plan, David Umahi; Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu; Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Sabo Nanono; Minister of Environment, Dr Mohammad Mahmood Abubakar and the Deputy Chief of Staff, Ade Ipaye.
The committee will also make recommendations for gazetting of ungazetted grazing reserves and create a database of national cattle herders and ensure that grazing reserves are well communicated to all stakeholders.