Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has reaffirmed his dedication to Livestock Reforms, expressing his readiness to attract foreign investors, create employment opportunities, and elevate the Livestock sector’s value within the nation.
The President made his intentions known on Thursday during the Stakeholders Consultative Workshop on Livestock Reforms in Nigeria, held at the Banquet Hall of the State House, Abuja.
Sharing his vision on the livestock industry, the President stated that his administration aims to change livestock productiveness from its current subsistence model into a thriving commercialise industry.
“It’s a very important sector. We are going to give it all it needs to bring value to our country,” President Tinubu said.
He disapproved of the inability of the country to harness the potential of the sector to the benefit of other critical sectors such as supporting the education sector.
“It’s about time that we do it right in a country of over 200 million people and cannot serve our children one pint of milk in the classroom per day.
“We didn’t see the investment opportunities, we didn’t see the economy in the past, now we now see it we must work together to realise it,” he added.
The Nigerian Leader decried the failure of the country to access the potential of the sector, he added that the long neglect of the livestock industry has caused the nation deficit of $1.5bn in the import of dairy foods.
“The long neglect has weighed on our country’s import bill between 1.2 and 1.5 bn been paid for the import of diary food and all of that,” President Tinubu said.
President Tinubu affirmed the capacity of the Nigerian livestock sector to contribute significantly to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product, GDP.
“Our shared vision is clear, we aim to transform the livestock from its current subsistence model into a thriving commercialise industry like other developing countries,” he stated.
The President assured that Nigeria can recover some of its loss from the livestock industry thereby restoring prosperity to Nigerians.
“Yes we can do it we can bring prosperity to our people. We can feed our children. From the grass we can achieve grace we can contribute so much to the Nigerian GDP and provide decent jobs,” he affirmed.
President Tinubu assured Stakeholders of rewarding partnership, affirming that his administration will create a conducive business environment.
“Stakeholders, I stand here assuring you that you will not regret the collaboration and the investment coming into this sector. We are going to give it all it takes. I assure you we will succeed. We will create an environment where the business will thrive.
“It is our duty to our children and future generations to get it right,” he said.
The President tasked Stakeholders to unite in joint efforts to transform the reforms into realisation.
“Let’s unite in our effort. From reform to the realisation of our dream and realisation. I stand before you fully committed.
“We will do everything in our power to attract them You can create a vivid picture of the picture we want to see. The future of our country. The economic future for our children,” the President added.
The Chairman of Nigeria’s Governors’ Forum and Kwara State Governor, Abdulrazak Abdulrahman said the nation must resolve all conflicts arising from the herdsmen issue.
He added that each state of the Federation will be urged to create areas of meat and dairy production.
“If we do not resolve through this reform herdsmen issue, we will continue to have conflicts there.
“Each state will be urged to create areas for meat and dairy production,” he added.
Abdulrazaq assured the committee of the Sub nationals 100% buy in adding that all efforts would be made to achieve sucess on the reforms of the sector.
“This is not just about food security. It’s also about national security.”
Stakeholders Consultative Forum
The Co-Chairman of the Livestock Reforms Committee, Professor Attahiru Jega, said the workshop was convened to obtain additional input to the reform process and buy-in, from a range of critical stakeholders drawn from the Nigerian Livestock value-chain and ecosystem.
“We hope that engagement with critical stakeholders would be a continuous process, as all hands need to be on deck to ensure a well-considered reform process and its seamless and successful implementation” Professor Jega added.
He made known that 350 selected critical stakeholders were invited to the workshop.
The Stakeholders Consultative Workshop on Livestock Reforms in Nigeria was organised by the Presidential Livestock Reforms Implementation Committee.
Lantana Nasir
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