Niger North senator, Bima Enagi has expressed disappointment that Nigeria, with over 40 per cent of West Africa’s livestock population, has failed to participate in the export sector and instead imports meat, skins and dairy products.
Bima, who stated this while speaking to journalists in Minna, attributed the situation to lack of proper policies, laws and investment in the sector.
The lawmaker explained that it was against this background that he sponsored a Bill in the 9th Senate tagged ‘National Livestock Identification and Management Bureau’ for the purposes of livestock identification, registration, traceability, cattle rustling and disease control.
He added, “The Bill went through 1st and 2nd readings but during the public hearing on the 21st September, 2021, then Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and its agencies raised some misplaced concerns that halted the progress of the Bill.”
Bima explained that developing the livestock value chain could generate billions of dollars in revenue for the Federal Government, citing examples from Brazil, Netherlands, France and the United States.
Bima insisted that such establishment will be a game changer in the quest towards harnessing the potentials of the livestock sector, and contribute towards diversifying the Nigerian economy.
He commended the decision of the President Bola Tinubu administration for establishing the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development which he said would go a long way in tackling the problems confronting the sector.
“It is, therefore, inspiring and reassuring to see the bold steps being taken by President Ahmed Tinubu to frontally address the longstanding challenges in the livestock sector and promote an efficient and sustainable sector by the decision to establish the Federal ministry of Livestock Development.
“It is not enough to say that we are blessed by nature, we have to work hard towards making our collective blessings reflect in the quality of life of the man on the street,” he added.
