“To enable Nigeria to finally take advantage of livestock farming, we have seen the solution and opportunity for this adversity that has plagued us over the years and I believe the prosperity is here in our hands.”
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu made the statement above after approving the creation of the Ministry of Livestock Development, while inaugurating the Presidential Committee on Livestock Reforms at the Council Chamber of the State House in Abuja, June, 9, 2024.
Exactly one month after Nigeria’s Federal Government established this ministry, questions still trail its creation and purpose.
What should be the purpose of a Livestock Ministry?
Nigeria’s livestock ministry was created to put an end to perennial herder/farmer clashes in the country that have claimed thousands of lives in the affected areas. However it is yet to be fully operational.
Other expected benefits from examining what is obtainable in other countries with a similar ministry include;
- Food production: Provides a steady supply of meat, dairy products, eggs, and other animal-based foods.
- Income generation: Creates employment opportunities in livestock production, processing, and distribution.
- Export potential: Can contribute to a country’s foreign exchange earnings through livestock exports.
- By-product utilisation: Maximising value from livestock through the use of hides, wool, and other by-products.
However, a large number of Nigerians are not in the know about the exact workings or expectations of the ministry. They are in the dark about how it will ameliorate the hardship associated with spiraling food costs.
Therefore, this has led to questions about the modalities employed in the creation of the ministry as well as how long it will take before they begin to see the benefits associated with its establishment. Issues about its usefulness and/or efficacy in addressing the peculiar challenges in that sector, have also been raised.
Respondents generate divergent views
Opinions For
According to Ismaila Jubrin, a local butcher and meat vendor in Ijanikin, Lagos state, the move is commendable. He called on relevant government authorities to ensure that the benefits associated with the creation of the ministry, are realised, and in timely fashion too.
Mr. Jubrin, however, lamented the soaring cost of beef, which he says has affected patronage of his business. He revealed that consumers are increasingly opting for alternatives, including pork, which his religion is averse to.
A supporting comment by Mr. Nathaniel Ejoor, a civil servant based in Delta state, argues that the move is commendable.
“I support government’s idea in establishing a livestock ministry, only if it translates to lower prices of meat. You know that meat (beef) is very costly now. With ₦5000 you can’t buy a reasonable quantity of meat for a family of just four, unlike before. Let government make sure that this is not just a move to settle political allies,” he said.
Opinions against
However, a respondent who spoke with this publication expressed worry over stretching meager resources in this regard.
“I don’t think there has ever been a bad idea policy. However, considering the state we are in as a country, this is not the way to go right now. An entire ministry means extra budget allocation for expenditure like salaries for people there. Also, will this ministry do anything about herdsmen that could not have been done through concentrated efforts by state governments?”
An X user, Gbolahan @hapifeetfab, opines that the move is a further waste of national resources.
“This looks more like a political decision. At a time we are trying to reduce the overhead of government, creating a new ministry makes this government look bad. We all know how this will end. This is very disappointing and frustrating,” he tweeted.
Yet another respondent hammered on the profligacy factor associated with the initiative.
According to Mr. Amede Isaac, a private school tutor in Benin City, Edo state, he says he sees it as a ‘cheap avenue’ to compensate political cronies.
“I don’t think we have ever been lacking in livestock production. The major issue on ground has been the confrontations between herders and host communities, as it concerns grazing and destroying of their farms. There’s a more pressing issue of anti-grazing law or creating of ranches for cattle which is a more civilised way,” he said.
“However, the government has been skirting around this nagging issue that has led to so many deaths. If l may ask, what is there that requires Livestock Ministry that the Ministry of Agriculture can’t do? When we are talking of reducing the cost of governance, possibly shrinking the plethora of ministries, we are creating more – it’s nothing but government profligacy.”
Government position
Countering the claim of profligacy, however, Nigeria’s Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, said the move is pivotal in addressing concerns that are unique to livestock.
According to the minister, in respect to the industry, he claimed that the President had taken very serious look at its contribution to agriculture. Although, he concedes that it may cost money, he assures that it will be done in a way that the benefits will enventually outweigh the losses or other concerns that citizens express by a wide margin.
“I have talked about this livestock and I said one, apart from improving the protein intake of our people, it also provides money for government because it’s going to be on large scale that will ensure money or revenue for government, and there is also going to be increased employment opportunities for people,” he said.
Background information
Currently, Nigeria ranks 6th in Africa as the country with the highest cattle population. Its head of cattle stands at 21.2 million. The country however ranks 1st in goat meat production in Africa, and 4th globally.
However, this poses a significant question considering the discrepancy in production and consumption. This is because animal protein consumption in Nigeria is one of the lowest in the world, with 45.5g. This is in contrast to the 53g FAO minimum and translates to a marked deficiency of protein consumption in many Nigerian diets.
Inherently, these are the legitimate concerns that respondents feel should fundamentally fuel the founding of the ministry of livestock. With almost a hundred million citizens having to forgo any form of protein in their diets daily, a ministry of livestock is expected to be a lifesaver of sorts, and should as a matter of urgency, hit the ground running in that regard.
Unfortunately, this is not the case. No sign of activity has been recorded to remedy the food situation, after a month of the ministry’s creation. No website has been created for the ministry to showcase its workings and no social media presence too.
This has inadvertently shaped the opinions of many into believing that the move is more in keeping with the tradition of political compensation by authorities, rather than addressing real issues that the masses face.
