Theologian And President
OpenLife Nigeria reports that a theologian and National President, Urhobo National Youth Congress World Wide, Apostle {Comrade} Moses Obayendo, Senior Pastor, Glory of Faith Assembly, Warri, Delta State, has released an overview of the newly created Ministry of Livestock by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
On Tuesday, July 9, 2024, President Tinubu announced the creation of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development when he inaugurated the Presidential Committee on Livestock Reforms at the Council Chamber of the State House in Abuja
The move, according to government’s statement, is the latest attempt by the Nigerian government to address the decades-long conflict between herders and farmers over access to land, pasture, and water with expectations to end the perennial clashes.
“Who says the solution is far? I say, ‘No, the solution is here.’ Majority of you have great experience and you want Nigeria to prosper,” an excited Tinubu said on Tuesday.
However and in reaction, Apostle Moses Obayendo sees it differently.
He noted a discomforting angle to the step taken by government saying that “If the government cares so much about the crises of farmers and herdsmen, it would have been proper for the government to have just created Department of Livestock and Department of Crops Farming.”
In the release he personally signed and made available to OpenLife, Apostle Moses Obayendo pointed out a contradiction in which he argued that recently the federal government announced its preparedness to full implement the Stephen Oronsaye reports which would result to downsizing the humongous governmet’s ministries, agencies and departments.
“Recently the same government set up a committee to review the Orosanye’s report on how to merge different ministries into one.
“On the hand, the same government has created a ministry of livestock,” the political analyst stated.
The full release is reproduced below:
The Ministry of Livestock that the federal government just established is a good development but it is coming with a lot of reservations.
This is because there is already Ministry of Agriculture, headed by Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari.
With the Ministry of Agriculture already in place, what we would have expected is that if the government cares so much about the crises of farmers and herdsmen it would have been proper for the government to have just created Department of Livestock And Department of Crops Farming.
This would have been fair to all parties including the farmers and herders.
Meanwhile the Government didn’t think of department but rather a ministry where we are already complaining of too many ministries of government.
And recently the same government set up a committee to review the Orosanye’s report on how to merge different ministries into one.
On the hand the same government has created a Ministry of Livestock.
Therefore, the federal government must be balance in resolving the crises of herders and farmers with justice and fairness by also creating a Ministry of Crop Farming to take care of cassava, yams, potatoes, corn, tomatoes, pepper etc.
In that way, the government will be seen in good light.
It will avoid being seen as a government favourable to a particular people than others.
The Ministry should not be seen to be a Ministry of Fulani herders alone but a ministry created by the federal government of Nigeria for livestock purpose across the country.
Therefore, the government must have a regional administrative structure among the six geo political regions.
This will mean that no one will be oppressed in the administration of the Livestock Ministry.
From the Minister of Ministry of Livestock to the director and the least worker of the ministry has to be Nigerian of all tribes and ethnic groups in view of the Federal Character.
This is important so that what is meant to solve a problem will not create more problems for the country.
I am making this call to the federal government to take the right action in resolving the perennial herders and farmers crises and to avoid ethnic nationality agitation all over the country.”
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