The Nigerian National Assembly, through its joint committee on Livestock Development, has frowned at the lip service the Federal Government is paying to the development of the livestock industry.
This is even as the Minister of Livestock Development, Alhaji Idi Mukhta Maiha, lamented that 65 % of animals consumed in the country every year are imported despite having potentials of red meat exportation value of N3.2billion.
Federal lawmakers’ dissatisfaction with the alleged laxity in the handling of the livestock sector by the Federal Government came to the fore during the joint committee’s budget defence session with the ministry.
The Minister had, in his presentation to the Committee on performance of the 2025 budget and proposals for 2026, disclosed that out of N70billion approved as take-off fund for the Ministry in 2024, only N20billion has been released so far.
He added that even the N10billion appropriated for the Ministry as capital vote for the 2025 fiscal year, nothing was given.
Irked by the submission, members of the committee, led by Senator Shehu Buba ( Bauchi South), expressed disbelief and called on the leadership of the committee to write President Bola Tinubu on the need of urgent intervention in line with the primary aim of government of diversifying the Nation’s economy with livestock development as done in Brazil, Argentina, Belgium and other countries.
Specifically, the Whip of the Senate, Senator Tahir Monguno ( Borno North), in his comments, said poor funding being experienced by the Ministry was totally at variance with the motive that brought it into existence.
“Establishment of the Ministry of Livestock Development in 2024 was driven by the gospel of diversification of the Nation’s economy.
“It is, therefore, to my surprise and disgust that we are paying lip service to the livestock sector now.
“We need to drum it into the ears of the Executive that it is inherently contradictory to create the Ministry and woefully failed to fund it”, he said.
In his own comments, Senator Abdul Ningi ( Bauchi Central ), alleged sabotage for the poor funding, which, according to him, may not be known to President Tinubu.
He therefore appealed to the Minister and top management staff of the Ministry to voice out various challenges being faced by them for required amplification by the federal lawmakers to the appropriate quarters.
” This is a Ministry that must be supported and well-funded by the federal government. I am suspecting sabotage of the zero capital allocation because Mr President meant well for the Livestock Development.
“The leadership of this committee should, as a matter of urgent national importance, write or meet Mr President for urgent intervention “, he said.
In his closing remarks, the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Buba Shehu, said the mono sector economy doesn’t help any country, the very reason, according to him, the committee will do everything possible to ensure adequate funding for the Livestock Development Ministry for the required economic diversification trajectory.