Katsina State Governor, Aminu Masari, has urged herders and farmers to send their children to school to learn modern ways of improving their trade and to support the growing population in order to make progress.
The governor made the call on Thursday during the flag-off ceremony of a programme meant to assist pastoralists – drawn from the ten frontline council areas of the state – with goats, water pumping machines and bags of fertilizers.
The ten frontline areas include Jibia, Batsari, Kurfi, Dutsin-ma, Safana, Danmusa, Kankara, Faskari, Dandume, and Sabuwa.
This intervention, according to Masari, was part of measures taken to enhance the quality of lives of herders and farmers and to reduce to the barest minimum the effect of banditry, kidnapping, and cattle rustling that affected them.
Masari while highlighting the genesis of insecurity inherited by his administration, recalled that it all started with an ordinary conflict between herders and farmers which metamorphosed over a long period into banditry, kidnapping, cattle rustling, insurgency, and many vices that are being promoted by illegal consumption of hard drugs all over the state.
He advised the beneficiaries to fully utilized the empowerment given to them to uplift their living standard and support their families for a better life.
“We must embrace technology and modernisation in all what we do and we must apply knowledge and common sense to make a difference in order to be economically sound, to support our families, and educate our children.
“Today’s occasion is also part of our restoration agenda which emphasizes strengthening annual vaccination, programs against major livestock diseases, demarcation of stuck routes, and grazing reserves throughout the state which has reached over 50 percent.
“It was suspended in most of these frontline LGAs, but with the improved security situation, funds will be made available to the committee that comprises appointees of government to the representatives of cattle breeders associations, farmers, NGOs, and civil society groups,” Masari added.
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Earlier in his address during the ceremony held at the Dan Nakola town in Daura Local Government Area of the State, the Special Adviser to the governor on livestock, Dr. Lawal Bagiwa, said that the essence of the empowerment program is to assist 600 displaced pastoralists affected by banditry, kidnapping and cattle rustling in the state.
He recalled that the state government had received support from the Federal Government in the sum of N6.2 billion to embark on several projects cut across four components aimed at restoring the glory of farming and enhancing the farmers’- herders’ relationship in the state.
“We have four components of this program namely; infrastructural programs; which comprise physical structures such as the building of schools, veterinary institutions, clinics, abattoirs, pastoralists houses, boreholes, stock routes, and earth dams construction among others.
“The second component, is we are establishing one hundred hectares of land for pasture development which will be fenced in all the ten Frontline LGAs affected by banditry. In total, we have one thousand hectares.
“The third one is the issue of earth dams constructions along the pasture areas. The last one is the support to the pastoralists and the communities around the areas. Even last time, we have given support to pastoralists in form of feeds such as concentrates.
“Today, each beneficiary is given either an irrigation pump or four bags of fertilizer, or four herds of goats_ three females and one male. In each local government area, we are giving this assistance to 60 beneficiaries,” he explained.
On his part, the Chairman of the state chapter of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, Mannir Atiku, cautioned herders to stop attacking or storming farmlands randomly before farmers are done with their harvesting.
He, however, called on Governor Masari to ensure that he leaves a legacy of creating a ministry of livestock and grazing reserve as can be seen in other states.
