The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, MACBAN, the umbrella association of herdsmen across Nigeria, has lamented the poor state of facilities at the grazing reserves across the country. Baba Ngelzama, the association’s National Secretary, said the herders were against the proposal of setting aside cattle colonies. He said rather than do that, the government should ensure that already existing grazing reserves are renovated. He said the reserves lack water, which was a necessity in cattle breeding.
“What can you do with a cattle colony when you have grazing reserves for the pastoralists?
“Pastoralists are out of the reserves because there is no water there, environmental factors and neglect.
“From our tour of the grazing reserves, we discovered that they all have infrastructure in them but because of the neglect on the part of the government, all the infrastructure are dilapidated,” he said.
Ngelzama also lamented that the school and veterinary clinic in the reserves had stopped functioning. He said the herders would return to the reserves if the ammenities are put in place.
“The dams are still there, the boreholes no longer work, the nomadic schools don’t work, and the veterinary clinics are there but they are not working.
“Let the federal and state governments which are custodians of the reserves begin to develop the reserves.
“Let them make the reserves attractive for the pastoralists, and they will come back,” he concluded.
Ashaolu Oluwafemi
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