Ban On Open Grazing Not Good Tiiming Says Wallidira FulaNI Initiative For Peace And Orientation, Blames FG, Northern Governors.

By Godson Ikpontu

Few hours ago, the Wallidira Fulani Initiative for Peace and Orientation had described the ban on open grazing by Southern Governors in Nigeria as not suitable, stressing that the timing is unsuitable considering the challenges of insecurity which the nation is presently faced with at the moment. The statement was made in Abuja during an exclusive interview with the National President of Wallidira Fulani Initiative for Peace and Orientation, Alh. Ardo Yusuf.

The National President therefore challenged the current Administration under President Muhammadu Buhari and Governors in the North for failing in their responsibilities to do the needful, stressing that the reliance of Northern Governors on Federal Allocations have murdered their sense of creative capacity in taking proactive steps to transform cattle rearing which has been long overdue. He noted that the transformation of cattle rearing, through proper initiatives will encourage investments in the sector and will certainly become one of the biggest source of revenues for Northern states and the entire country.

However, he stated that the decision could lead to a lot of economic problems, including increased unemployment, as cattle rearing merchants, butchers and others who rely on cattle rearing as a means of livelihood may loose their jobs, which will affect a large chunk of Nigerians, especially the Fulani tribe.

Ardo further called on all and sundry to please look at the position and know what to do, because the Wallidira Initiative for Peace and Orientation believes that if the current situation isn't handled carefully and with sense of responsibility, it may further escalate the current lingering insecurity in the country. 

He further made reference to the previous leadership and Administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, which initiated one of the best and most outstanding interventional programs tagged Grazing Reserve Commission, which was aimed at creating an agency that can regulate activities of grazing and herding across Nigeria. But unfortunately, when it was presented to the 7th National Assembly as a bill to establish the Grazing Reserve Commission it was haplessly trashed for political reasons, which created the present grazing challenges faced in the country today. He therefore noted that our leaders; the senators, the national executive Council are currently the biggest enemies of the nation, with emphasis on negligence on critical issues.

Basically the nation's constitution gives right to every citizen to live, move-around and do business anywhere as long as it doesn't go against the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He concluded by stating that the need to transform the system of cattle rearing in Nigeria is inevitable, especially with several failed projects like Ruga and Cattle colony, which where mere say and lacking proper implementation.