Following the ban on open grazing, the Senator representing Ondo South in the National Assembly, Nicholas Tofowomo has advised the Southern governors to establish cattle farms which have multiple benefits.
Tofowomo, who appeared on a radio station in Akure, the Ondo State capital also added that such farms will serve not only as location for breeding cattle but also production of milk, cheese and other byproducts.
He advised Nigeria to borrow a leaf from the United States which has 94 million cattle, scattered in 700,000 farms, with the state of Texas having the highest number, yet enjoys peace without any clashes common in Nigeria today. “That is why I am calling on the southern governors to take a step further.
During Late Obafemi Awolowo, he established farm settlements in the various senatorial districts. Some of them have gone moribund now. The federal and state governments can sit down and convert these farm settlements to cattle farms.,” he said.
The senator elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) however commended Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for his stance on open grazing and urged other governors to support the ban with alternatives.
Responding to questions on the difference between the former administration of the PDP and the ruling APC, Tofowomo said: “When the PDP was in power, Nigeria was not as bad as this.
The exchange rate today is killing. One dollar now exchanges for N540 and one pound goes for N740 in the black market. “Prices of commodities are no longer affordable.
A litre of fuel was sold at N87 under Goodluck Jonathan of the PDP administration but today, one litre of petrol is sold at N167. The price was doubled by the APC administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.”
Speaking on the planned hike in electricity tariff, Tofowomo, said “the tariff is no longer affordable because it has been increased by 100 per cent by this current administration.
The rate of joblessness under the PDP is not as bad as this. The level of insecurity was not this bad. Nigerians are no longer safe in their homes as kidnappers now invade people’s homes to abduct them. It is happening now especially in some areas in Abuja.”
Tofowomo who is the Vice Chairman Senate Committee on Land Transport commended Governor Akeredolu and other southern governors for their uniform decision in banning open grazing, but advised them to take a step further by establishing cattle farms.
His words “The position of the southern governors is commendable and all the southern senators are behind them.
Governor Akeredolu and other Southern governors have our support. I am in support of their uniform decision on open grazing. “But they should take a little step further by establishing cattle farms. When you ban open grazing and there are no alternatives provided for the people to graze their cattle, there will be a problem,” he said.
Credit: Newtelegraph
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