Buhari imposes grazing reserves on 25 states

There are emerging indicators that President Muhammadu Buhari may be working towards imposing grazing reserves on 25 states, albeit some states were identified to have volunteered to participate in the process. The president, accordingly, approved the recommendations of a committee to review, “with dispatch,” 368 grazing sites, across 25 states in the country, “to determine the levels of encroachment.”

The review committee is chaired by the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari.

The committee further recommended the collection of field data, collection on 368 Grazing Reserves across 25 states to assess encroachment and encroachers, stakeholder engagements, and sensitization.

The committee also recommended the production of maps and geo-mapping/tagging of sites, analysis of findings and report preparations, as well as design appropriate communication on grazing reserves and operations.

However, few states do not have grazing reserves, only two states were identified to have grazing reserves. Thus, the adoption of 25 states having grazing reserves may generate controversies from the states where there are plots to impose grazing reserves by presidential fiat.

More so, the president plots to legalise illegal grazing routes through the gazette of reserves that were not gazette.

It was indicated that the number of the grazing reserves and states was assumed from considerations of security concerns and other pre-existing socio-economic conditions.

The President was cited to have directed in a statement that the assignment be undertaken with dispatch, to bring more understanding on the Grazing Reserves, and implementation.

Members of the committee were identified to include the Governor of Kebbi State and Vice Chairman, National Food Security Council, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu; Governor of Ebonyi State and Chairman of NEC Sub-Committee for National Livestock Transformation Plan, David Umahi; Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Sabo Nanono; Minister of Environment, Dr. Mohammad Mahmood Abubakar and Deputy Chief of Staff, Ade Ipaye.

The Technical Sub-Committee consisted of representatives from the seven members of the main committee, in addition to representatives from the Ministry of Justice, Surveyor-General of the Federation, National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA), and the National Space Research Development Agency, (NASRDA).

It was highlighted that the Terms of Reference of the committee include collation from states and confirmation of the status of all grazing reserves, assessment of the percentage of available land and those with existing encroachment complications, for case-by-case resolution, in partnership with state governments and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.

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The committee will also make recommendations for gazetting of ungazetted grazing reserves, and create a database of National Cattle Herders, and ensure that grazing reserves are well communicated to all stakeholders.