The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has rejected a bill to create a national agency to regulate and manage ranches in Nigeria. Over the weekend, MACBAN president Alhaji Baba Usman Ngelzarma opposed the bill.
Ngelzarma stated that pastoralists prefer the establishment of a full-fledged Federal Ministry for Livestock and Fisheries. This would be more effective than the proposed National Animal Husbandry and Ranches Commission. The bill, which seeks to ban open grazing and establish ranches to reduce conflicts between farmers and herders, passed its second reading after a heated Senate debate.
In Damaturu, Yobe capital, during an interview following the inauguration of the state Executive Council of the Association, Ngelzarma emphasized the need for a Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries. He argued that such a ministry could comprehensively address the entire livestock value chain, unlike the current proposal in the National Assembly.
According to Ngelzarma, focusing solely on ranching overlooks other important aspects of livestock management. He questioned why the president couldn’t create a dedicated ministry to handle all livestock-related issues, including production, processing, marketing, transportation, and security.
Ngelzarma urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to implement the recommendations of the Livestock Reforms and Mitigation Committee, led by former Independent National Electoral Commission Chairman Professor Attahiru Jega. This committee was set up to find a lasting solution to the ongoing farmers-herders conflict in rural areas.
“We submitted the Jega report on Livestock Reform and Mitigation last year,” Ngelzarma said. “We are looking forward to the President establishing an implementation committee so that the report’s recommendations can be implemented.”
The major recommendation of the Jega report is the creation of a Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries to ensure that livestock-related issues receive proper attention.
