Establishing grazing reserves for a profession dominated by one tribe looks like favouritism. Give them loans to establish cattle ranches instead

Will there ever be a law establishing Trading Reserves all over Nigeria? I doubt it. Because that will just be like allowing the Igbos who dominate 80% of Nigeria’s tarde to take over the land of other tribes wholesale.

This is especially when a government commission will be established that is given the power to take any land that it or its members feel like taking over and adding it to our hypothetical trading reserve.

You will agree with me that establishing such reserves would amount to giving one ethnic group the keys to taking over the whole country, and in a country like Nigeria, where we have more than 100 proud ethnic groups, that would lead to many conflicts, because one thing people are very proud of in Nigeria is their ancestral lands.

To Nigerians, one’s ancestral land is one’s patrimony, given to them by their forefathers even before the British came and colonized the land. So, it is something that has one’s soul in it. For a government and legislators to come and propose a law that will give a government commission the power to take over large portions of the ancestral lands of one ethnic group is extremely unpalatable.

But when that proposed law goes even further and specifies that all the land to be collected will effectively become an area reserved for another ethnic group, it begins to look like a way to take over land from one ethnic group and give it to another. That is just how the bill presently in the National Assembly that proposes the creation of Cattle Grazing Reserves all over the country looks like.

It looks like an indirect ethnic land grab, especially when the ethnic group that will benefit, the Fulani who control cattle rearing business, is the same ethnic group that has produced the current president of the country and a large number of the lawmakers in the National Assembly.

At this point, let me take a moment to condemn the timid silence of most of the lawmakers from the Southern part of the country – and the North Central – who have kept mute while the bill has scaled both First and Second Readings. Their constituents are the ones who will be adversely affected by this bill and they cant find their voice?

Then let’s look at this thing called grazing, which has led to this proposed solution. The plain truth as everyone seems to have realized is that grazing is outdated and unfit for the new millennium.

But instead of the Federal Government to encourage ranching which is the in thing now, they are trying to encourage grazing reserves where only one ethnic group will be advantaged while all other ethnic groups will be unfairly disadvantaged.

Grazing has led to many deaths in many parts of the country, from the South West to the South East; from the South South to the North Central. Frequently, quarrels occur between farmers and cattle herdsmen because when farmers come to their farms, cows have eaten all the crops the farmer took a lot of effort to plant.

No human being will be happy to come to his workplace and see that all his labours have been destroyed just like that. Some of these farmers whose crops are destroyed are not even commercial farmers but subsistence farmers, who are so poor the only real money they have are the crops they have planted, which they hope to later exchange for other badly needed commodities.

So, when these farmers protest, they are attacked and killed and the men in their community are killed and the women raped. Now that is very bad. But thankfully, the Federal Government has recognized the urgent importance of phasing out grazing. But ranching, not grazing reserves is the answer to ending grazing and the problems that come with it.

If the cattle rearers want to get land fo their activities, they should go and buy land like any other Nigerian businessman. The government should not condemn and seize people’s lands to give it to one ethnic group.

What the government can do, because of the urgency of phasing out grazing is to grant loans to the herdsmen, to go out and persuade people to sell lands to them for cattle ranching.

Currently, the bill to introduce grazing reserves has passed Second Reading in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. According to or constitution, if the bill passes Third Reading… the only thing that will stop it from becoming law is if President Buhari refuses to sign it.

I even hear the proposed bill to would require anyone who wants to challenge the addition of his land to the grazing reserves by the Federal Government to first take permission from the same Federal Government he wants to sue. That’s Apartheid loading, folks.

So now is the time for everyone who values peace to call their lawmakers and put pressure on them to make sure that this bill does not pass Third Reading in either the Senate or the House of Representatives. It’s contents portend rancour for the nation.

Phone your senator and representative and tell them not just to vote against the bill, but also to make sure they speak vehemently against it. Tell him to oppose the bill in the next reading. Let the grazing reserves bill be stopped.

You can get the phone number of your senator from this link. If 100,000 Nigerians can call their senators and ask them to oppose this bill, it will make a great impression on the senators, and they would know how dear the matter at hand is to you the voter.

Tell the senators to instead propose the setting up of a fund that would provide loans for any cattle rearing organization that has been in the profession for up to 20 years, so, businesses that have been rearing cattle for a minimum of 20 years can easily get financing to go buy land from any part of the country to establish cattle farms or ranches. (Nothing wrong with that.)

This does not mean that other Nigerians cannot wake up one day and decide to enter cattle ranching, but rather, that they wouldn’t qualify for the loan from the fund, and can source their cash from elsewhere.

What I am simply saying is that: Yes, we all agree that grazing should be phased out. But it should not be replaced with grazing reserves, but rather with ranching #replacegrazingwithranchesnotreserves.

Reason being that creating grazing reserves all over the country today will seem like an indirect land grab on the behalf of one ethnic group to the detriment of all others. And you will agree with me that such will cause a lot of bitterness and acrimony in the polity.
Source: http://zikistmovement.igbodefender.com/2016/04/14/establishing-grazing-reserves-for-a-profession-dominated-by-one-tribe-looks-like-favouritism-give-them-loans-to-establish-cattle-ranches-instead/

lol. you can go and gather cows together and start herding them about now. who stop you.

1. Land use act. (Read up on it)


2. Governments deploy huge funds to build garages for inter/intra-city transport buses why? Because they are important econonic agents.
Beef is an important part of our diet in Nigeria, animal farming is an important part of GDP, a wise government will do its best to make sure that this vital sector is comfortable

You mention "Trading reserves" but the government builds markets and rent out the stalls/shops to traders dont they? Think of a grazing reserve as a market with lock up shops and the herdsmen will pay rent to the government for the use of the space in the same way traders pay for shops in markets built by the government.

3. Tribalism always exposes the shallowness and lack of logical thinking of a lot of people, stay away from it

It's a fraud.It will always be unconstitutional, dictatorial and a massive rape on the Nigerian society. Like someone already said before, "we are waiting for this Fulani Gestapo". See where Wisdom, Knowledge and Understanding are used, " OBJ sought for the Cooperation and Acquiescence of Saraki, the then Governor of Kwara State, before he was able to bring Zimbabwe's Farmers into Nigeria. Therefore, Buhari s Government should not infest any state other than Kaduna and Katsina with Fulani Herdsmen hooliganism.

Mynd44:
1. Land use act. (Read up on it)


2. Governments deploy huge funds to build garages for inter/intra-city transport buses why? Because they are important econonic agents.
Beef is an important part of our diet in Nigeria, animal farming is an important part of GDP, a wise government will do its best to make sure that this vital sector is comfortable

You mention "Trading reserves" but the government builds markets and rent out the stalls/shops to traders dont they? Think of a grazing reserve as a market with lock up shops and the herdsmen will pay rent to the government for the use of the space in the same way traders pay for shops in markets built by the government.

3. Tribalism always exposes the shallowness and lack of logical thinking of a lot of people, stay away from it

The Land Use Act provides that “all land comprised in the territory of each State in the Federation are hereby vested in the Governor of that State and such land shall be held in trust and administered for the use and common benefit of all Nigerians”. The Grazing Reserve Commission Bill is in direct contravention of this provision because it does not serve the ‘common benefit’ of all or even a substantial fraction of Nigerians.

The Federal government has no business building markets or bus garages. That is done by state governments who hold land in trust for citizens. That is the responsibility of state and local governments. Bus garages are owned and maintained by owners of the transport companies.

This Grazing Reserve Bill gives power to the proposed commission to establish reserves on lands which it deems fit for grazing purposes. That completely usurps the power of the Governor and is absolutely unconstitutional.

Furthermore, the bill proposes that no judgement against the commission shall be executed without the written permission of the Attorney General sought and obtained. That is a blatant attempt at neutralising the power of the courts because the commission will be an agency under the executive; judgment is given against the executive by a neutral arbiter ie the judiciary and yet, justice cannot be served without permission of the same executive ie d AG/Minister of Justice.

Why all these elaborate attempts at legalising impunity and forceful seizure of ancestral lands belonging to a people just because of cattle rearers? The same law prescribes stiff punishments for unlawful entry into reserved areas but is completely silent on unlawful entry of cattle and their handlers into farmlands and dwelling areas.

The owners of these cattle are affluent people who can well afford to lease and set up standard ranches as proper businesses so why should an instrument of government be deployed to secure and set up grazing reserves for them?

It is the duty of the government to provide enabling environments and business policy but it is way overboard to practically spoon feed a particular set of people. Proceeds from this go into private pockets and d cattle are not owned by government. If they do pay taxes would that be to the FG or State governments? It most likely will be to d government in which any reserve is located so why will the FG exercise power to give out lands which it has no control over or ownership of? If they are going to keep roaming from place to place then how are they properly captured for purposes of taxation and revenue for the states?

You cannot give what you do not have! How is the FG expected to allocate revenue and funds for this? The bill doesn't place any obligation on cattle rearers to contribute towards acquisition of these reserves, no where does it show stipulated rents,taxes or levies to be paid and it is the duty of this commission to acquire and manage the reserves!

This is not tribalism, it is legislative rascality that will either not see the light of day or be perished by the courts whose powers it seeks to whittle down. It is only a recipe for disaster to ride roughshod over the sentiments and belief systems of a group of people.

Gaming reserve indeed, when we have so many homeless people which the govt should be thinking of building low cost houses on any such available land, they prefer to make provisions for Cows instead.

Was it cows that stood under the sun with their PVCs for several hours to vote for this govt? SMH

Pidggin:
Gaming reserve indeed, when we have so many homeless people which the govt should be thinking of building low cost houses on any such available land, they prefer to make provisions for Cows instead.

Was it cows that stood under the sun with their PVCs for several hours to vote for this govt? SMH

Nne it will shock you that if a forensic analysis of the ballot papers used in the 2015 presidential elections is carried out, u might find the impression of hooves in place of thumbs on some...

kenny987:



Nne it will shock you that if a forensic analysis of the ballot papers used in the 2015 presidential elections is carried out, u might find the impression of hooves in place of thumbs on some...

I won't be surprised

kenny987:

The Land Use Act provides that “all land comprised in the territory of each State in the Federation are hereby vested in the Governor of that State and such land shall be held in trust and administered for the use and common benefit of all Nigerians”. The Grazing Reserve Commission Bill is in direct contravention of this provision because it does not serve the ‘common benefit’ of all or even a substantial fraction of Nigerians.
The Federal government has no business building markets or bus garages. That is done by state governments who hold land in trust for citizens. That is the responsibility of state and local governments. Bus garages are owned and maintained by owners of the transport companies.
This Grazing Reserve Bill gives power to the proposed commission to establish reserves on lands which it deems fit for grazing purposes. That completely usurps the power of the Governor and is absolutely unconstitutional.
Furthermore, the bill proposes that no judgement against the commission shall be executed without the written permission of the Attorney General sought and obtained. That is a blatant attempt at neutralising the power of the courts because the commission will be an agency under the executive; judgment is given against the executive by a neutral arbiter ie the judiciary and yet, justice cannot be served without permission of the same executive ie d AG/Minister of Justice.
Why all these elaborate attempts at legalising impunity and forceful seizure of ancestral lands belonging to a people just because of cattle rearers? The same law prescribes stiff punishments for unlawful entry into reserved areas but is completely silent on unlawful entry of cattle and their handlers into farmlands and dwelling areas.
The owners of these cattle are affluent people who can well afford to lease and set up standard ranches as proper businesses so why should an instrument of government be deployed to secure and set up grazing reserves for them?
It is the duty of the government to provide enabling environments and business policy but it is way overboard to practically spoon feed a particular set of people. Proceeds from this go into private pockets and d cattle are not owned by government. If they do pay taxes would that be to the FG or State governments? It most likely will be to d government in which any reserve is located so why will the FG exercise power to give out lands which it has no control over or ownership of? If they are going to keep roaming from place to place then how are they properly captured for purposes of taxation and revenue for the states?
You cannot give what you do not have! How is the FG expected to allocate revenue and funds for this? The bill doesn't place any obligation on cattle rearers to contribute towards acquisition of these reserves, no where does it show stipulated rents,taxes or levies to be paid and it is the duty of this commission to acquire and manage the reserves!
This is not tribalism, it is legislative rascality that will either not see the light of day or be perished by the courts whose powers it seeks to whittle down. It is only a recipe for disaster to ride roughshod over the sentiments and belief systems of a group of people.

History shall be kind to you for standing up for what is right. Your insicive points have given people information they can use to debunk lies and deceptions. #replacegrazingwithranchesnotreserves

jerseyboy:
No one can do anything about it. We gave up British colonial rule in 1960 for Hausa-Fulani internal neo-colonialism. Let's face it. Hausa-Fulani own Nigeria.

That is a defeatist mentality and we will not stand for it. This bill is even more dangerous than the anti social media bill, because culture is the last defence of an opressed people, and forcefully taking away large chunks of the ancestral lands of an ethnic group to more or less dash it to another ethnic group is simply not done! We must use the last sweat on our pores to stop the taking away of ancestral lands in the guise of grazing reserve.
#ranchesnotgrazingreserves
Let the Federal Government instead set aside a large part of the $2 billion China loan as loan fund to help cattle rearers buy land to establish ranches. Ranching is GOOD business, grazing reserve is BAD politics!

Op You mean there is a law to turn the entire country into a zoo?

gmaribel:
Op You mean there is a law to turn the entire country into a zoo?

Sir, every decent human being in Nigeria -whether Hausa, Igbo, Fulani, Yoruba, Ijaw etc.- must stand against the expropriation of people's ancestral lands that this bill proposes. These are lands that were given to people by their ancestors before the British even came here with colonialism. Such lands can't just be taken by one unconstitutional law now, not after all these centuries.

Contact your senator now: use this Sahara Reporters link to locate your senator's phone number: http://saharareporters.com/2016/04/13/saharareporters-publishes-contact-information-nigerian-lawmakers

Tell your senator (respectfully) that you expect them not just to vote against the bill but also to speak against it at the Third and final reading. Tell them to instead propose and vote for loans to be giving to cattle rearers to establish ranches wherever they buy land, not where the government seizes land for them. If this generation doesn't stop this, history might not forgive us.

Lalasticlala, history calls on you to play your own part in this effort now. Send this to front page for more debate and enlightenment of the people.

PIB I think is lost somewhere between the typist making the amendment and the clerk who's looking for a stapler to properly bind the document.

I won't be surprised one day to see a bill granting immunity to serving and past public holders from prosecution. From calculation I think the amendment of the CCB is a record holder in speed rivaled only by Usain Bolt.

My fellow youths are still chanting praise songs for people stealing and enslaving the future of our grandchildren.

pacino26:


My fellow youths are still chanting praise songs for people stealing and enslaving the future of our grandchildren.

Let's hope we wake up before it is too late. Because Eternal Vigilance Is The Price Of Liberty.

Mynd44:
1. Land use act. (Read up on it)


2. Governments deploy huge funds to build garages for inter/intra-city transport buses why? Because they are important econonic agents.
Beef is an important part of our diet in Nigeria, animal farming is an important part of GDP, a wise government will do its best to make sure that this vital sector is comfortable

You mention "Trading reserves" but the government builds markets and rent out the stalls/shops to traders dont they? Think of a grazing reserve as a market with lock up shops and the herdsmen will pay rent to the government for the use of the space in the same way traders pay for shops in markets built by the government.

3. Tribalism always exposes the shallowness and lack of logical thinking of a lot of people, stay away from it

Weldone bro. They can be so .....

.

igbodefender:

Sir, every decent human being in Nigeria -whether Hausa, Igbo, Fulani, Yoruba, Ijaw etc.- must stand against the expropriation of people's ancestral lands that this bill proposes. These are lands that were given to people by their ancestors before the British even came here with colonialism. Such lands can't just be taken by one unconstitutional law now, not after all these centuries.

My grandfather told me before he passed on that farmers went into virgin forest , cleared the land and farmed. You are only limited by your strength. That was why many then had many wives and children to help out on the farm.
But this practice gradually faded out.

Today I can't say I want to continue to practice the culture of how my forefathers lived because the realities on ground makes it impracticable. The crisis witnesses in most part of the country due to the Nomadic lifestyle of cattle rearers show that this culture is not sustainable.

Perpetrating it (Nomadic lifestyle) through a legislation is to say the least insensitive. I doubt if this law will be passed in its present form because the crises which it aims to curb will only escalate.

Change is the only inevitable thing in life.

kenny987:


The Land Use Act provides that “all land comprised in the territory of each State in the Federation are hereby vested in the Governor of that State and such land shall be held in trust and administered for the use and common benefit of all Nigerians”. The Grazing Reserve Commission Bill is in direct contravention of this provision because it does not serve the ‘common benefit’ of all or even a substantial fraction of Nigerians.

The Federal government has no business building markets or bus garages. That is done by state governments who hold land in trust for citizens. That is the responsibility of state and local governments. Bus garages are owned and maintained by owners of the transport companies.

This Grazing Reserve Bill gives power to the proposed commission to establish reserves on lands which it deems fit for grazing purposes. That completely usurps the power of the Governor and is absolutely unconstitutional.

Furthermore, the bill proposes that no judgement against the commission shall be executed without the written permission of the Attorney General sought and obtained. That is a blatant attempt at neutralising the power of the courts because the commission will be an agency under the executive; judgment is given against the executive by a neutral arbiter ie the judiciary and yet, justice cannot be served without permission of the same executive ie d AG/Minister of Justice.

Why all these elaborate attempts at legalising impunity and forceful seizure of ancestral lands belonging to a people just because of cattle rearers? The same law prescribes stiff punishments for unlawful entry into reserved areas but is completely silent on unlawful entry of cattle and their handlers into farmlands and dwelling areas.

The owners of these cattle are affluent people who can well afford to lease and set up standard ranches as proper businesses so why should an instrument of government be deployed to secure and set up grazing reserves for them?

It is the duty of the government to provide enabling environments and business policy but it is way overboard to practically spoon feed a particular set of people. Proceeds from this go into private pockets and d cattle are not owned by government. If they do pay taxes would that be to the FG or State governments? It most likely will be to d government in which any reserve is located so why will the FG exercise power to give out lands which it has no control over or ownership of? If they are going to keep roaming from place to place then how are they properly captured for purposes of taxation and revenue for the states?

You cannot give what you do not have! How is the FG expected to allocate revenue and funds for this? The bill doesn't place any obligation on cattle rearers to contribute towards acquisition of these reserves, no where does it show stipulated rents,taxes or levies to be paid and it is the duty of this commission to acquire and manage the reserves!

This is not tribalism, it is legislative rascality that will either not see the light of day or be perished by the courts whose powers it seeks to whittle down. It is only a recipe for disaster to ride roughshod over the sentiments and belief systems of a group of people.

It does serve d common benefit of all. How many other tribes rear cattle for consumption?

I think d labelling has got u confused, u need to see it as a forest reserve, which has been in existence for ever-Yankari Games Reserve, Borgu GR etc. It is actually a criminal offence to be caught farming or poaching on them, same will apply to d grazing reserves.

Also, they can actually be taxed! There are paths they just have to follow to access those reserves, and as such tax agents will be positioned at d right points. Though, pple will remain pple(look for tax loopholes to avoid paying tax)!

Tribalism is still d main issue, we need to start being objective in our reasoning. The Agric minister recently said we don't even have a figure for the cattles being reared, talkless of trying to tax them. He has also spoken on ranches, hence d imported brazilian grass, but these things don't work overnight, they need time. And pending when ranches will become viable and accepted by d nomads, a solution has to be found for d incessant clashes.

I just wrote all these from objective commonsense and everyday news info.

Mynd44:


Beef is an important part of our diet in Nigeria, animal farming is an important part of GDP, a wise government will do its best to make sure that this vital sector is comfortable.

Good, and the best way to promote the animal farming sector is ranching, which has been proven to be the best system for animal husbandry. Go ask the cowboys of the United States who once used to graze but are now making billions through cattle ranching.

There is nothing tribalistic about proffering solutions to an issue so sensitive that lots of Nigerians see so many things wrong with it.

And the insults you threw on that post are unbecoming of a moderator on the great site Nairaland (Africa's biggest forum). Perhaps you can be more civil in making your point henceforth.

PS. Cattle ranching will make our herdsmen big not just in Nigeria but internationally, as they will find it easier to export and not just supply the Nigerian market. Our economy will be diversified and their efforts will bring in foreign exchange that we badly need at this time. Nothing tribalist in proposing good business for fellow Nigerians, Sir.

Mynd44:
1. Land use act. (Read up on it)


2. Governments deploy huge funds to build garages for inter/intra-city transport buses why? Because they are important econonic agents.
Beef is an important part of our diet in Nigeria, animal farming is an important part of GDP, a wise government will do its best to make sure that this vital sector is comfortable

You mention "Trading reserves" but the government builds markets and rent out the stalls/shops to traders dont they? Think of a grazing reserve as a market with lock up shops and the herdsmen will pay rent to the government for the use of the space in the same way traders pay for shops in markets built by the government.

3. Tribalism always exposes the shallowness and lack of logical thinking of a lot of people, stay away from it

Rice, cassava and cocoa are also important to the economy, is government setting up farms for the farmers? Do i need to remind you that the gain from the cattle business goes directly to the private pockets of the cow owners not to the government pockets, unlike crude oil that every state gets its own share from the proceeds.

Later the Fulanis will claim the lands are their ancestral lands, if you doubt ask the people of Jos.

igbodefender:

Good, and the best way to promote the animal farming sector is ranching, which has been proven to be the best system for animal husbandry. Go ask the cowboys of the United States who once used to graze but are now making billions through cattle ranching.

There is nothing tribalistic about proffering solutions to an issue so sensitive that lots of Nigerians see so many things wrong with it.

And the insults you threw on that post are unbecoming of a moderator on the great site Nairaland (Africa's biggest forum). Perhaps you can be more civil in making your point henceforth.

PS. Cattle ranching will make our herdsmen big not just in Nigeria but internationally, as they will find it easier to export and not just supply the Nigerian market. Our economy will be diversified and their efforts will bring in foreign exchange that we badly need at this time. Nothing tribalist in proposing good business for fellow Nigerians, Sir.

Cattle ranching doesn't happen overnite, so what are we going to do while initiating it? Allow d crisis to continue? stop grazing? stop eating beef? start importing more beef?

No, this can't happen.

ashjay001:


Cattle ranching doesn't happen overnite, so what are we going to do while initiating it? Allow d crisis to continue? stop grazing? stop eating beef? start importing more beef?

Sir, who told you cattle ranching doesn't happen overnight? What is rocket science about establishing a ranch, which is nothing but a farm for animal husbandry? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

The Grazing Reserves bill is a great danger to Nigeria, because it sows the seeds of instability and raises suspicions of an ethnic landgrab. The Cattle Ranching loan proposal will be the best thing to have happened to the Nigerian beef industry and the herdsmen that control it. Also, it will promote peace and harmony. How would ethnic groups feel if their lands are taken and given to others? Very bad, I tell you. Let's support the right thing, abeg.

Cattle ranching is no rocket science, the WILL to adopt it is just not there! Kenya produces about 5 billions litres of milk annually & is certainly not by their cows roaming about destroying other people's means of livelihood nor provided reserves!

Mynd44:
1. Land use act. (Read up on it)


2. Governments deploy huge funds to build garages for inter/intra-city transport buses why? Because they are important econonic agents.
Beef is an important part of our diet in Nigeria, animal farming is an important part of GDP, a wise government will do its best to make sure that this vital sector is comfortable

You mention "Trading reserves" but the government builds markets and rent out the stalls/shops to traders dont they? Think of a grazing reserve as a market with lock up shops and the herdsmen will pay rent to the government for the use of the space in the same way traders pay for shops in markets built by the government.

3. Tribalism always exposes the shallowness and lack of logical thinking of a lot of people, stay away from it

Just imagine!! And this one calls himself a mod smh.I have said my own, if our legislators fail us,we will take the law into our hands

kenny987:


The Land Use Act provides that “all land comprised in the territory of each State in the Federation are hereby vested in the Governor of that State and such land shall be held in trust and administered for the use and common benefit of all Nigerians”. The Grazing Reserve Commission Bill is in direct contravention of this provision because it does not serve the ‘common benefit’ of all or even a substantial fraction of Nigerians.

The Federal government has no business building markets or bus garages. That is done by state governments who hold land in trust for citizens. That is the responsibility of state and local governments. Bus garages are owned and maintained by owners of the transport companies.

This Grazing Reserve Bill gives power to the proposed commission to establish reserves on lands which it deems fit for grazing purposes. That completely usurps the power of the Governor and is absolutely unconstitutional.

Furthermore, the bill proposes that no judgement against the commission shall be executed without the written permission of the Attorney General sought and obtained. That is a blatant attempt at neutralising the power of the courts because the commission will be an agency under the executive; judgment is given against the executive by a neutral arbiter ie the judiciary and yet, justice cannot be served without permission of the same executive ie d AG/Minister of Justice.

Why all these elaborate attempts at legalising impunity and forceful seizure of ancestral lands belonging to a people just because of cattle rearers? The same law prescribes stiff punishments for unlawful entry into reserved areas but is completely silent on unlawful entry of cattle and their handlers into farmlands and dwelling areas.

The owners of these cattle are affluent people who can well afford to lease and set up standard ranches as proper businesses so why should an instrument of government be deployed to secure and set up grazing reserves for them?

It is the duty of the government to provide enabling environments and business policy but it is way overboard to practically spoon feed a particular set of people. Proceeds from this go into private pockets and d cattle are not owned by government. If they do pay taxes would that be to the FG or State governments? It most likely will be to d government in which any reserve is located so why will the FG exercise power to give out lands which it has no control over or ownership of? If they are going to keep roaming from place to place then how are they properly captured for purposes of taxation and revenue for the states?

You cannot give what you do not have! How is the FG expected to allocate revenue and funds for this? The bill doesn't place any obligation on cattle rearers to contribute towards acquisition of these reserves, no where does it show stipulated rents,taxes or levies to be paid and it is the duty of this commission to acquire and manage the reserves!

This is not tribalism, it is legislative rascality that will either not see the light of day or be perished by the courts whose powers it seeks to whittle down. It is only a recipe for disaster to ride roughshod over the sentiments and belief systems of a group of people.

I learnt a lot from your post, it is precise.

Pavore9:
Cattle ranching is no rocket science, the WILL to adopt it is just not there! Kenya produces about 5 billions litres of milk annually & is certainly not by their cows roaming about destroying other people's means of livelihood nor provided reserves!

5 billion litres of milk, you say? Please tell them! #ranchingisnorocketscience!

ashjay001:


It does serve d common benefit of all. How many other tribes rear cattle for consumption?

I think d labelling has got u confused, u need to see it as a forest reserve, which has been in existence for ever-Yankari Games Reserve, Borgu GR etc. It is actually a criminal offence to be caught farming or poaching on them, same will apply to d grazing reserves.

Also, they can actually be taxed! There are paths they just have to follow to access those reserves, and as such tax agents will be positioned at d right points. Though, pple will remain pple(look for tax loopholes to avoid paying tax)!

Tribalism is still d main issue, we need to start being objective in our reasoning. The Agric minister recently said we don't even have a figure for the cattles being reared, talkless of trying to tax them. He has also spoken on ranches, hence d imported brazilian grass, but these things don't work overnight, they need time. And pending when ranches will become viable and accepted by d nomads, a solution has to be found for d incessant clashes.

I just wrote all these from objective commonsense and everyday news info.

The solution to the incessant nomad clashes is not this kid-glove, entitled solution. You did not address the legal pitfalls identified in my post. Since when did execution of court judgements require the 'kind permission' of the Minister for Justice?

I said illegal entry into reserved areas are labelled as offences and attendant punishments prescribed. Why doesn't the same bill make provisions for illegal entry/encroachment unto farmlands and dwelling areas of farmers n citizens generally? Is that not the cause of the problems supposedly sought to be cured by this bill?

Is cattle rearing more important than other aspects of agriculture? Why have we not seen any legislative solutions such as mandatory farm areas in every LG, compulsory provision of lands, fertilisers, healthy seeds n cuttings by the government at no cost? We see these in policies which can be ignored by any government as has been done by d current govt in favour of cattle rearing.

If the govt really aims to address these clashes from the root, why have offenders on both sides not been arrested? What provision for reparation and rehabilitation of farmers are captured in this bill? Why is there no adequate protection for farmers and their produce as this bill seeks to provide for cattle rearers?

The FG is overreaching itself because direct intervention on these issues should be the reserve of state/local governments with the FG providing policy and financial support.

There is so much to talk about and yes, the tribal and expansionist inclinations of Hausa-Fulani is what informed this bill. People are bound to be apprehensive and a concerned govt with no ulterior motive will make sure all affected persons are accommodated and their concerns addressed.

Cattle rearing is part of agriculture so why do we need a commission with full civil service rules and even pension benefits for employees? Why is this not left with the Ministry of agriculture to facilitate? This bill has passed second reading, what effort has been made to educate and sensitise the real persons affected by this law who are uninformed and illiterate? How do u expect them to react when, if this law is passed, they wake up to see vast swathes of land marked off, they are told to keep off, maybe paid some peanut compensation then they see herdsmen settling in large numbers? The same enemies now given a right of occupancy because they were forced to evacuate?!

The games reserve like Yankari and co are in few strategic places and not compulsorily in all 36 states. It is not a business venture for profit. These grazing reserves do not fit that description. Cattle are owed by people who are doing business. The reserves ought to be in the natural habitat of the cattle and their handlers because they thrive best there. Fodder and grazing materials will easily be sourced there because of the great agricultural prospects up north. So why vest and exercise powers over all states?

kenny987:


The solution to the incessant nomad clashes is not this kid-glove, entitled solution. You did not address the legal pitfalls identified in my post. Since when did execution of court judgements require the 'kind permission' of the Minister for Justice?

I said illegal entry into reserved areas are labelled as offences and attendant punishments prescribed. Why doesn't the same bill make provisions for illegal entry/encroachment unto farmlands and dwelling areas of farmers n citizens generally? Is that not the cause of the problems supposedly sought to be cured by this bill?

Is cattle rearing more important than other aspects of agriculture? Why have we not seen any legislative solutions such as mandatory farm areas in every LG, compulsory provision of lands, fertilisers, healthy seeds n cuttings by the government at no cost? We see these in policies which can be ignored by any government as has been done by d current govt in favour of cattle rearing.

If the govt really aims to address these clashes from the root, why have offenders on both sides not been arrested? What provision for reparation and rehabilitation of farmers are captured in this bill?

There is so much to talk about and yes, the tribal and expansionist inclinations of Hausa-Fulani is what informed this bill. People are bound to be apprehensive and a concerned govt with no ulterior motive will make sure all affected persons are accommodated and their concerns addressed.

Cattle rearing is part of agriculture so why do we need a commission with full civil service rules and even pension benefits for employees? Why is this not left with the Ministry of agriculture to facilitate? This bill has passed second reading, what effort has been made to educate and sensitise the real persons affected by this law who are uninformed and illiterate? How do u expect them to react when, if this law is passed, they wake up to see vast swathes of land marked off, they are told to keep off, maybe paid some peanut compensation then they see herdsmen settling in large numbers? The same enemies now given a right of occupancy because they were forced to evacuate?!

The games reserve like Yankari and co are in few strategic places and not compulsorily in all 36 states. It is not a business venture for profit. These grazing reserves do not fit that description. Cattle are owed by people who are doing business. The reserves ought to be in the natural habitat of the cattle and their handlers because they thrive best there. Fodder and grazing materials will easily be sourced there because of the great agricultural prospects up north. So why vest and exercise powers over all states?

Please help me tell them. Do they think we are fools? #notograzingreserves! #yestocattleranching!

Mynd44:
1. Land use act. (Read up on it)


2. Governments deploy huge funds to build garages for inter/intra-city transport buses why? Because they are important econonic agents.
Beef is an important part of our diet in Nigeria, animal farming is an important part of GDP, a wise government will do its best to make sure that this vital sector is comfortable

You mention "Trading reserves" but the government builds markets and rent out the stalls/shops to traders dont they? Think of a grazing reserve as a market with lock up shops and the herdsmen will pay rent to the government for the use of the space in the same way traders pay for shops in markets built by the government.

3. Tribalism always exposes the shallowness and lack of logical thinking of a lot of people, stay away from it

I sincerely don't know how you can associate those points to grazing reserves. Before you make a comment the smart thing is to look at the background context. Creating grazing reserves to benefits the fourth most deadly terrorist group shouldn't sit well with any intelligent-progressive mind.
Traders and most other organisations pay taxes but does cattle herdsmen? What's their contribution to the economy?
Being politically correct doesn't make you right man. This isn't about tribalism but about standing up for what is right, a' you can't reward ome of the most violent groups with a reserve.
In addition, in terms of abuse of law and violence, this law could have a far reaching consequences as it's subject to many interpretation. Nigeria is too ethnically complex to enact such a law for a group like fulani herdsmen.