Features
X-raying FG’s Actions, Inactions In Rivers
Like most other states in Nigeria, especially those being governed by an opposition party, transactions between Rivers State and the central authorities in Abuja have often left the former with the short end of the stick.
Even in the years when the state belonged together with the central government, the reallocation of some crude oil wells to neighbouring Akwa Ibom State did not go without some grumbling down here. Related to that was the Federal Government’s premature release to Bayelsa State of about N17 billion from an escrow account for the contested Soku oil field in 2014 when the matter was still pending in court.
Added to these was the long overdue rehabilitation of the Aba-Port Harcourt end (Section 4) of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Road for which work is now ongoing. Until now, remedial work on this road had come in the form of shoddy patching, leaving motorists and their passengers frustrated, mostly during the rainy months of the year when any previous earth work would have been washed off.
The Federal Government’s recent flag-off of a $3 billion rail project from Bonny Port through Port Harcourt to Maiduguri was said to reduce pressure on the nation’s roads. It is for the rehabilitation and reconstruction and reconstruction of the Eastern Railway with a narrow-gauge line that links major cities across 14 southern and northern states.
But Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, is not impressed.
“I hear people came to Rivers State to flag off narrow gauge (rail line) when the world is talking of standard gauge. What they are giving Rivers state is narrow gauge because I challenged them to show us what they have done for the people of the state.
“So, what they will do is to come and say okay, since you are complaining, let us come and give you that narrow gauge.
“Instead of giving us standard gauge to Maiduguri over which they are making noise, Rivers State, the Treasure Base of the Nation, the state from which they got the money to produce their President; it’s toward the end of their administration that they come and tell us of narrow gauge rail line,” Wike mocked while commissioning a link road in Aluu, recently.
Still on transportation, work is ongoing on the N120.6 billion Bodo-Bonny Road initiated by the Nigeria LNG Limited and jointly financed by the Federal Government. Conceived about 40 years ago, construction work on the project was flagged off by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in 2017.
Also recently, the Federal Government made a refund of N78.9 billion to the Rivers State Government for the amount spent in executing some federal projects in the state, including Port Harcourt-Owerri Road and roads leading to the federal housing estates in the state. In appreciating this gesture, Governor Wike was reported to have invited President Muhammadu Buhari to visit Rivers State.
The Federal Government’s approval of $1.5 billion for the rehabilitation of Port Harcourt Refinery has generated mixed reaction in the state. Some stakeholders like the Independent Petroleum Marketers of Nigeria (IPMAN) believe that such rehabilitation would help put an end to fuel importation. Executive Chairman of IPMAN, Comrade Joseph Obele, was said to have projected that the government’s move was capable of generating 25,000 jobs when completed. He said it would open up businesses within the host communities while also ensuring the availability of quality products unlike what is being imported currently.
But Governor Wike is not convinced. He thinks that the approval smacks of politics because, as he put it, similar promises had been made in the past, particularly during election transition period that never materialised. Speaking on Channels Television, he said: “I am not going to jubilate because the Federal Government said they have approved $1.5 billion for the rehabilitation of Port Harcourt Refinery. Thank God they said so, but let us wait and see the outcome of it at the end of the day.”
Completion of the N16 billion new head office of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), 25 years after its construction began, is one Federal Government action that not only excites Rivers people but also people of the entire Niger Delta region. Joining the commissioning by virtual conferencing, President Buhari said: “Today, we are handing over to the Niger Delta, a befitting Head Office Complex for present and future use. Consequently, huge yearly rentals would now be saved and deployed to other areas of need in the region.
“I commend the management and staff of the NDDC for staying the course and keying into the reform agenda of our administration.”
However, governors of oil-producing states don’t seem to be happy with the Commission for shutting them out of all the happenings in the interventionist agency. And this is even after their inauguration into the Commission’s Governing Board. The hint came from Governor Wike while addressing members of the House of Representatives Committee on NDDC, led by its Chairman, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who paid him a courtesy visit in Port Harcourt, recently.
In addition, people of the region have continued to express worries over the apparently unending forensic audit being conducted on the NDDC, leading to the delay in inauguration its substantive board.
Another area of the Federal Government’s engagement in Rivers State is implementation of the United Nations’ Environment Programme (UNEP) Report. The Buhari administration had, on assumption of office in 2015, indicated interest to give the Ogoni Clean-up Exercise a fillip after years of apparent inactivity. But there have been arguments back and forth between major Ogoni groups and the Hydrocarbon Pollution and Remediation Project (HYPREP), the agency responsible for carrying out the exercise, as to the pace and quality of job accomplished so far.
The government had, at various times, been accused of playing politics with the Ogoni clean-up project as its involvement has come mostly far and between. Only days ago, the Minister of Environment, Muhammed Abubakar, reportedly flagged off in Bori the construction of N6.4 billion water facilities across Ogoniland where he announced that, in addition to the six water projects, eight more were on the way. Abubakar listed beneficiaries of the first phase projects to include Bori in Khana LGA; Barako, B-Dere and K-Dere in Gokana LGA; Korokoro in Tai LGA; Alesa and Ebubu in Eleme LGA. Given the slow pace of work, it’s really not likely that anything new will drop on the project soon.
Reacting to the incident, factional President of the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP), Nsuke Fegalo, said: “We thank our President, Muhammadu Buhari, for the decision to commence the Ogoni water project and call on him to extend his gesture to other communities in the Niger Delta who also suffer similar pains and deprivations like us, the Ogoni people.”
It is already well known that the Federal Government has, since 2016, made provision in its yearly budgets for the sum of N500 billion to finance its Social Investment Programme (SIP). This is to say that, as at the end of 2020, government had spent N2 trillion on its N-Power, Conditional Cash Transfer, Home-Grown School Feeding, Tradermoni, Marketmoni and other schemes covered by the project. Whereas people in states selected as pilot cases have continued to enjoy this social safety net, Rivers people get a sniff of any of these only close to general election time when such items are used as political baits.
This experience is further illustrated with the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Anchor Borrowers Programme through which many peasant rice farmers in the north and some other places across the country have since been transformed into multi-millionaires. On realising that certain forces in Abuja appeared to be using politics to deny Rivers State access to agricultural loans offered by the nation’s apex bank, the state chief executive raised the matter with the Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Hon. Mustapha Baba Shehuri, during the latter’s visit to Government House, Port Harcourt.
“Please tell the Governor of Central Bank to remember us too; that we are part of Nigeria. When we applied (for Anchor Borrowers loan), they said this loan was N5 billion. We have applied for more than one year now. They said we should bring this and that…” Governor Wike complained.
The Governor was reported to have, in like manner, pleaded with the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Bashir Jamoh, to return the Cabotage Services Department of his Agency back to Port Harcourt.
“We had a Cabotage Department here in Tombia Street (New GRA); your people moved it to Lagos. Is there any offence that Rivers State has committed against Nigeria?
“You may know, I don’t know of any offence any person can say we have committed,” he said.
In his speech, the NIMASA boss announced his Agency’s award of foreign scholarship to 10 Rivers’ school leavers to study marine engineering and marine architecture. He also pledged to assist in tackling the menace of maritime insecurity in order to encourage investors come to the state.
Jamoh also requested from the state government land to build an office for his organisation in the riparian state. According to him: “I want to request the Governor to give us a strategic land where we will build an edifice that will show the presence of maritime regulatory agency in this second largest maritime state of the country.”
During the outbreak of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) in Nigeria last year, the Federal Government was reported to have released fund for the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to establish testing laboratories. This was in addition to the government donating money to assist Lagos State, Kano State and the FCT authorities to fight the pandemic.
Of course, with the Port Harcourt, Bonny and Onne Ports serving as entry points for foreigners into Rivers State which also harbours expatriate staff of multinational oil and construction firms, it was expected that the authorities in Abuja would have considered that the state stood the risk of recording high cases of the dreaded disease. And as such, any allocation of money and equipment to fight the pandemic ought not to have been denied the state. Therefore, the building of COVID-19 laboratories in Lagos, Ogun and Kano States and failing to situate any in Rivers State was enough to anger the government and people of the oil-rich state.
Speaking while receiving the then new Commissioner of Police, Mr. Joseph Mukan, who visited him in Government House, Port Harcourt, Governor Wike accused the Federal Government and the NCDC of playing politics at a time all hands needed to be on deck to fight a strange disease that was ravaging the world.
“There must be a collaboration to fight the Coronavirus pandemic. NCDC is building laboratories in Lagos, Ogun and Kano without building any in Rivers State. This is a state that is exposed to several foreign and local visitors with no single federal intervention.
“When oil companies write to change crew, we insist on knowing their status. If they continue to politicise COVID-19, Nigeria will suffer it,” he warned.
Of all the areas where the Federal Government appeared most insensitive on an issue concerning Rivers State was in the matter of environmental pollution as exemplified by the black soot menace. Whereas the government had deployed its security agencies in the form of joint Army, Police and Navy task forces to tackle illegal oil thieves and refiners, it was discovered that these outfits were often compromised by the culprits. And when arrests were made and stolen petroleum confiscated, the task forces preferred to burn such stolen crude in the creeks, thereby adding to the fumes that steadily emanated from the many undiscovered illegal distilleries. These were finally carried over by the wind to pollute the nearby human settlements.
At a seminar/workshop organised by the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), a number of participants, comprising academics, environmentalists, traditional rulers and other stakeholders in the oil and gas sector blamed the black soot on the inability of the Federal Government to repair the nation’s refineries and guarantee steady supply of petroleum products.
Finally, other areas of Federal Government’s positive actions in the state include the Afam Fast Power Project which construction started in 2016 and which seeks to expand the existing Afam Power Plant by an additional 240MW at the cost of $186 million; completion of the new terminal building of the Port Harcourt International Airport at Omagwa; and the renewed effort to resume work on the East-West Road.
Other observed infractions were the politicisation of security in the state by way of frequent changes of police commissioners which some have counted to be about 15 times in just six years; and the alleged use of the then F-SARS Commander in Rivers State, Mr. Akin Fakorede, to try to influence the outcome of the 2019 General Elections in the state.
By: Ibelema Jumbo
From the fore going, the fight against drug trafficking should be treated as an international challenge with open collaboration, if the world leadership must win the fight!.
The circumstances or should I say the improvement on drug related activities are modifying and updating on daily basis. A close friend of mine in the United States of America who recently visited Jamaica, came with a lot of complicated information about drug trafficking and transaction. Being a qualified Nurse in US and on a visit to the Reggae Country (Jamaica), she said she was put aback when a man approached her and introduced himself as a Pharmacist. According to her, she immediately picked interest due to her professional background. To her, a business partner is birthed. But she was shocked to the narrows on learning that drug dealers or traffickers and subriquited Pharmacist in that Country. From her account, they ( The Jamaican Pharmacists), are the first set to people to meet and greet you at the Airport. No government or authority challenges them in the open due to the sophisticated nature of their transportation
Come to think of it, who would want to attack a Pharmacist on duty? Nigerians are not left out in the improvement on drug deal. A chat with a confident in the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ( NDLEA) Rivers State Command, so revealed. The Officer draw my attention to the movement of Dispatch Riders. He said part of the reasons they ride with almost speed equivalent of the thunder lightning, is to meet up with the appointment of delivering hard drug consignment to a client of theirs. According to him, those guys popularly referred to as Yahoo Boys are the ones who now payroll dispatch riders so that they can deliver their consignment ( hard drugs) on schedule no matter the sort of traffic or weather condition. The fear of loosing rich clients and that of the unknown treatment that may come of the Boys, as the officer puts it, drives the Riders crazy thus the reason to speed even at the expense of their lives.
The account of a prominent Party Promoter, Wayne Anthony, as obtained online recently, also pointed out that ‘No Legislation Will Stop Clubbers From Doing Drugs’ Party promoter, Wayne Anthony, arrived in Ibiza, a Spanish Island in 1988, at the same time as dance music and the party drug ecstasy. Despite hallucinating badly enough to make him give up the lifestyle forever, he says laws will never stop clubbers taking drugs. “I don’t think you can control these things,” said former party promoter Wayne Anthony. He arrived in Ibiza in 1988 and began setting up club nights and raves in some of the island’s most iconic venues. In the years that followed, the sleepy Spanish island turned into a raver’s haven of clubbing and hedonism, with party drugs like ecstasy commonly found. “What Ibiza represented was this beautiful, hot island which was visually stunning and we knew you could party there quite legally,” said Wayne. “You didn’t have to look over your shoulder. You could just be as free as you possibly could be.”
That freedom came with a price. Along with the lavish clubs, all-day-benders and hot Spanish sun came drug cartels and crime. The city transformed into one the world’s most vibrant party capitals, “fuelled by a dangerous and lucrative drugs trade which drew as many criminals to its shores as it did party animals”. Wayne, one of the contributors to the documentary, spoke to Sky News ahead of its release.”I’m not going to sit here and say the cartels aren’t there. They are all there and they’ve been there from the ’90s,” said Wayne. But he said most people tried to ignore the organised crime going on around them. According to Wayne, clubbers usually took the approach of: “‘Give me 10 E’s . Behind the scenes of the filming of Ibiza Narcos with Wayne Anthony. Behind the scenes of the filming of Ibiza Narcos with Wayne Anthony. Hallucinating giant spiders Although he described the Balearic island as the “motherland”, it was eventually a bad experience with drugs that convinced Wayne it was time to leave Ibiza.
He’d been partying for days when he realised he’d taken too many drugs. A friend told him to drink cough medicine, dangerous advice that he now says could have killed him. “I saw the worst hallucination I’ve ever seen in all of my life. I ended up locking myself in the villa with all the shutters down. When he sobered up, he realised he had “come to the end” of his party life on the island. “I never looked back. I never took another drug. I got away from the club world.” ‘I don’t think you’re going to be able to stop it’ Despite his life-changing experience, he doesn’t think criminalising drugs is a good idea – or particularly effective. “If you’re old enough to vote for who’s going to be a world leader, if you’re old enough to put your name down on debt for 25 years, I feel like you should be old enough to govern what you put inside your own body, you know?” said Wayne.
Back to Nigeria, some illicit drugs worth over N30billion seized at Onne Port in Rivers State.
This blood chilling development forced the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency at the Onne Port, following what authorities described as repeated incidents of importation of dangerous cargo, including arms and ammunition through the said port. To this effect, the government said it was immediately implementing emergency protocols at Onne Port for the next three months by conducting thorough examinations of all suspected containers in the premises.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, in charge of the port via a press conference, said it henceforth, unveiled the seizures of illicit goods by the Nigeria Customs Service, Area 2 Command, Onne in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State. In defence for his action, Adeniyi said the recurring incidents posed a threat to national security, adding that the health of citizens at the Onne Port is increasingly being used as a destination for dangerous and illicit cargo, describing it as a disturbing trend.
The customs boss stated, “Earlier today, I joined numerous stakeholders to take a significant step towards the cause of trade facilitation through the inauguration of upgraded facilities provided by the West Africa Container Terminal, Onne. “As I express delight that trade facilitation is getting traction in Onne Port, I cannot help but call your attention to a grave concern. This has to do with the repeated incidents of national security breaches unfolding in Onne Port. I appreciate your presence, as we all have a shared responsibility in safeguarding our national security. As we are all aware, the policy thrust of Mr President supports the re-energising of our business environment to drive faster import clearance and grow our capacity for exports, Our emphasis has been to promote initiatives that speak to Trade facilitation and economic development. “It is a matter of regret that criminal elements in the international supply chain are exploiting our pro-trade stance to commit atrocities bordering on national security breaches”.
“The attempts to test our will through the importation of dangerous cargo through this port has necessitated the declaration of a state of emergency in Onne Port, coming on the heels of a seizure of a huge cache of arms a couple of months ago. It is disheartening that perpetrators have not backed down on their illegal acts. Recent intelligence and seizures have revealed a disturbing trend; Onne Port is increasingly being used as a destination for dangerous and illicit cargo. The scale and nature of these illegal importations pose a significant threat to our national security and the health of our citizens. Today, we are here to showcase yet another series of significant seizures made by the diligent officers of the Area 2 Command. On display are twelve containers of illicit goods intercepted through a combination of intelligence gathering, inter-agency collaboration, and meticulous physical examination. Seizures on Display include: Three (3) x 40-feet containers: Containing 562,600 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine and 3,150 pieces of chilly cutters, with a Paid Duty Value (DPV) of N4,716,573,846.
“Others are, three x 40-feet containers containing 380,000 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine, 24,480,000 tablets of Royal Tramadol Hydrochloride, 5,350,000 tablets of Tapentadol and Carisoprodol, and other items, with a DPV of N17,432,506,000 were seized”.
According to the report, more seized items were, “Five (5) x 40-feet containers; Containing 892,400 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine, 1,300,000 tablets of 50mg Really Extra Diclofenac, 7,250,000 tablets of 5mg Trodol Benzhexol, and other items, with a DPV of N8, 128,568,295,90. This very action of the Nigeria Customs Service, further complicated the hope of how soon the fight against drug trafficking could be brought to a halt owing to its high profile nature.
Another hair-raising report of the illicit drug deal has it that when NDLEA bursted a Snake-Guarded Shrine Used For Storing Illicit Drugs sometime ago in Edo State. This very news report was published in The Tide Newspaper on June 24, 2024. According to the report, NDLEA said its operatives uncovered a shrine, guarded by a snake, being used for storing illicit drugs, during an operation in Edo State. The Agency in a statement by its spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, added that its operatives discovered a specially constructed large hole in a wall, hidden behind wallpapers and fetish objects used for drug storage. It further noted that methamphetamine, Loud, Colorado and Arizona, all strong strains of cannabis with a total weight of 8.743kg among others, were recovered from the shrine.
To be cont’d
King Onunwor
The persistent clash between farmers and herders in Nigeria has been a longstanding issue. These conflicts, often, over resources like land and water, have led to loss of lives, destruction of property, displacement of large numbers of people, deep-seated mistrust between communities and insecurity. Herders, traditionally nomadic, move their livestock in search of grazing land and water. Farmers, on the other hand, require the same resources for their crops. This competition often leads to clashes, especially in areas where land is becoming increasingly scarce due to population growth, climate change, and environmental degradation. As these clashes intensify, there has been a growing call for sustainable solutions. Two weeks ago, President Bola Tinubu took a bold step towards tackling the issue by inaugurating the Presidential Committee on Implementation of Livestock Reforms and creating the Ministry of Livestock Development.
The committee which has the president as the chairman and the former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega as the deputy chairman has the mandate to address obstacles to agricultural productivity and open up new opportunities which benefit farmers, herders, processors, and distributors in the livestock-farming value chain as well as propose recommendations aimed at fostering a peaceful co-existence between herders and farmers, ensuring the security and economic well-being of Nigerians.The establishment of the Ministry of Livestock Development was part of the recommendations of the National Livestock Reforms Committee. Part of the 21 recommendations submitted to the president include: “This agenda should include the establishment and resuscitation of grazing reserves as suggested by many experts and well-meaning Nigerians and other methods of land utilisation.
“Create the Ministry of Livestock Resources in line with practice in many other West African countries. In the alternative, Federal and State Governments should expand the scope of existing Departments of Livestock Production to address the broader needs of the industry,” among others. Experts in the agricultural sector have posited that the livestock industry can create millions of jobs directly in farming, processing, and distribution, and indirectly in related sectors like feed production, veterinary services, and marketing. It provides livelihoods for rural populations, helping to reduce poverty and improve the quality of life in rural areas. It also increases the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and foreign exchange earnings through the exports of livestock and livestock products such as meat, dairy, wool and leather.
According to them, a well-funded livestock industry supports the growth of agro-processing sectors, such as meat packing, dairy processing, and leather manufacturing, adds value to raw products and creates additional economic activity as well as stimulates the development of supply chains, including logistics, packaging, and retail, contributing to broader economic growth. It enhances economic resilience by diversifying the agricultural sector and providing a buffer against crop failures or other agricultural shocks and many more. Some other agriculturists have also opined that the livestock industry in Nigeria is currently underdeveloped and that by the creation of the ministry of livestock development will open up the industry which will be a huge money spinner for Nigeria.
Reports have shown that a Livestock Ministry can play a pivotal role in mitigating conflicts between farmers and herders by implementing policies and programmes aimed at fostering coexistence and sustainable resource management. The Ministry can work towards clearly demarcating grazing routes and farming areas. This would reduce instances of trespassing and accidental crop destruction, a common flashpoint for conflict. While introducing rotational grazing systems can ensure that land is used sustainably, preventing overgrazing and land degradation, establishing water points and boreholes specifically for livestock can reduce competition for water resources. Similarly, promoting the development of pasturelands through reseeding and controlled burns can improve grazing conditions.
According to a veterinary doctor, Dr Andrew Obadiah, by providing training for herders on sustainable livestock practices and for farmers on conflict resolution, both parties can understand the importance of coexistence. He said that extension services of the ministry can offer advice on improving livestock health and productivity, reducing the need for large herds and extensive grazing. “Setting up local committees involving both farmers and herders to mediate disputes can provide a platform for dialogue and peaceful resolution. Encouraging community-based conflict early warning systems can help prevent clashes before they escalate”, he emphasised.For Mrs. Stella Ugwu, a farmer, having a ministry dedicated to the development of the livestock industry can help in diversifying income sources for both farmers and herders and in turn reduce dependence on land.
”For instance, promoting agro-pastoralism can provide farmers with livestock and herders with agricultural produce”, she explained, adding that providing incentives for adopting sustainable practices, such as subsidies for fodder production or crop insurance, can ease economic pressures. Ugwu was however of the opinion that the creation of a new ministry to handle livestock affairs was uncalled for, since the job can effectively be done by the Technical and Service Department of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and food security and its equivalent on the states level.In some countries, the establishment of a Livestock Ministry or similar bodies has shown promising results. For example, Ethiopia’s Ministry of Agriculture includes a dedicated department for livestock which has successfully implemented programmes to improve pastoral livelihoods and reduce conflicts.
In Kenya, the establishment of the National Drought Management Authority has helped manage resources better, thus reducing clashes between herders and farmers during dry seasons.The president of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Othman Ngelzarma, sees the Ministry of Livestock Development achieving the same feat for Nigeria in the near future. He told newsmen that, “MACBAN expresses its deepest appreciation to the Federal Government for creating a ministry of livestock to unlock the trillion-naira livestock economy and create qualitative and productive jobs across the value chain to improve the Nigerian economy. With this development, MACBAN believes the hope of the Nigerian pastoralists is now achieved under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
However, the Middle Belt Forum took a different view of the proposed Ministry of Livestock Development, saying it was not enough to sustainably resolve the decades-long farmers-herders crisis in the country. According to the National President of the association, Mr. Bitrus Pogu, what is needed to end the perennial farmers/herders clashes is a deliberate action by regulatory bodies and the government to stop criminal elements from carrying out deadly attacks on innocent Nigerians, mainly farmers. Hear him: “If the reason for creating the Ministry is to stop clashes, I think it is wrong because all of these attacks and killings that are happening have nothing to do with conflicts between farmers and herders. “Farmers have never connived at any given time to go and attack herders, but rather, criminals who happen to be Fulani gang up and attack farmers, kill, maim and chase them out of their ancestral homes.
“Then, the Fulani will come and occupy them. So, it is more about invasion, criminality, and terrorism. And the majority of those they hire to do these evils are not even those who have cattle. So, a deliberate action has to be taken by the government against the perpetrators, which will address the criminality.” Mr. Pogu suggested that the government should adopt ranching for productivity and enduring peace between the pastoralists and farmers in particular and the entire country in general.While the establishment of a Livestock Ministry presents a viable solution, it is not without challenges. Funding constraints, bureaucratic inefficiencies, and corruption can hamper its effectiveness. Additionally, deeply ingrained cultural practices and mistrust between farmers and herders can be difficult to overcome.
Critics argue that without a holistic approach that includes land reform, climate change adaptation, and broader economic development, a Livestock Ministry alone may not be sufficient. Therefore, it must work in tandem with other governmental and non-governmental bodies to ensure comprehensive solutions. “A dedicated Livestock Ministry, with its focus on sustainable resource management, conflict resolution, and economic incentives, offers a promising avenue to address the root causes of these clashes. However, its success depends on effective implementation, adequate funding, and the cooperation of all stakeholders involved. With the right strategies and commitment, devoid of any political or selfish interest, it can play a crucial role in fostering peace and prosperity in affected regions”, they advised.
Calista Ezeaku