Baba Ngelzarma, President of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, says the President Muhammadu Buhari regime has neglected issues affecting Fulani herders in the country.
Ngelzarma stated this in a recent interview with Punch, stressing that the president failed to address any if the problems they brought before him.
He said:
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“We must accept the fact that Buhari is a Fulani man; he is one of us. But then, this will not stop us from saying the truth about what is going on in the livestock sub-sector. There is outright neglect in the sector. Simple.
“None of the ideals of the pastoralists have been addressed by this administration (Buhari regime). Our grazing reserves are there without development. They lack water and grass.
“Even the ranching concept that was introduced under the Livestock Transformation Plan is not one that will solve the problem. We need a model that can suit the peculiarities of the pastoralists that we have.”
Ngelzarma further pointed out his expectations from his kinsman Buhari.
He said:
“We need models like developing grazing reserves, which are areas that have been designated for grazing by pastoralists.
“Some have infrastructures, such as dams, veterinary clinics and others, in them. But because of the neglect, the structures have been allowed to dilapidated.
“Even the palatable grass eaten by the cows is no longer there in the reserves. We need a model that will make these reserves attractive to these herders.”
