President Muhammadu Buhari has approved recommendations of a committee to review “with dispatch” 368 grazing sites in 25 states in the country “to determine the levels of encroachment.”

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, disclosed this on Thursday in a statement titled, ‘President Buhari approves review of grazing reserves in 25 states’.

Buhari’s directive comes after his approval of the recommendations of a committee chaired by his Chief of Staff, Prof Ibrahim Gambari.

Among others, the committee recommended the collection of field data on 368 grazing reserves across the 25 states to assess the level of encroachment and encroachers, stakeholder engagements and sensitisation.

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

The number of the grazing reserves and states were deduced from considerations of existing security concerns and other pre-existing socio-economic conditions.

The President directed that the assignment be undertaken with dispatch to bring more understanding on the grazing reserves and ensure their implementation.

Members of the committee include Governor of Kebbi State and Vice Chairman, National Food Security Council, Abubakar Bagudu; Ebonyi State Governor and Chairman of the NEC Sub-Committee, 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 Abubakar; and the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Ade Ipaye.

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

The inaugural meeting of the committee was held on May 10, 2021.

 

PUNCH