Movement Of Cattle From Sahel To Other African Regions Should Be Restricted — Gov. Bagudu

Movement Of Cattle From Sahel To Other African Regions Should Be Restricted — Gov. Bagudu
Atiku Bagudu

Kebbi State Governor, Atiku Abubakar Bagudu has called for a permanent framework to limit the movement of cattle from the Sahel to other regions in Africa.

Bagudu made this statement on Saturday while declaring closed the 2021 Pastoralists Week held in Birnin Kebbi, the state capital.

The meeting was jointly organised by Dosso State in Niger republic, Alibori State in Benin Republic and Kebbi State, Nigeria, alongside ECOWAS and National Boundary authorities of the three countries.

Bagudu noted that any framework designed by the meeting would be accepted by the Nigerian government, as long as it was in the interest of unity and progress of West African countries.

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Bagudu said, “Animal Husbandry is an important work in West Africa, and I am happy that we all appreciate the importance of this sector and I am glad that the CILSS is leading efforts to generate resources that will help us to develop the sector.

“There was a statement that about $300 million funding has currently been mobilised by the CILSS and that is most important. What this funding can do, is to help us draw the attention of the world to the potentials in animal husbandry in West Africa.”

He noted that the pastoralism sector was full of hardworking people, looking for an opportunity to cater for their children and give them a good education, as such any investment in the sector would yield the desired results, including better returns on investment.

“I believe that Nigeria, particularly President Muhammadu Buhari, will support us on this programme as quickly as possible so that we can demonstrate how it will work.

“Even before then, the current protocol of West Africa, and the framework of operations, allows us to collaborate more and I propose that we send the recommendation to the appropriate authorities.

“So that Dosso, Alibori, Nigeria and Kebbi state, supported by ECOWAS and CILSS can create this framework, while we are waiting for our national leaders to endorse it and send it to other countries so that they can come and learn from us,” he noted.