Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, on Monday, said that the grazing reserves being proposed by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government should not be imposed on the state, but rather those who are willing to accommodate the project.
Governor Tambuwal said this at the 63rd Birthday Lecture of Veteran Nigeria Journalist, Author and Right Activist, Mr. Richard Akinnola held at Radisson Blue Hotel, GRA Ikeja, in Lagos State.
The Theme of the lecture is: ‘Security Challenges in Nigeria and Its Implication for Sustainable Development.’
Governor Tambuwal, who was the Guest Lecturer at the event, gave insights to various security challenges facing the country averred that the recent adoption of grazing reserves by the government was an outdated policy which needed review.
According to him, “We are in the era of telling ourselves the truth, the era of pasteurizing all about in the country is gone, In fact, we should stop pasteurizing because it is outdated.
“It is not helpful to the Fulani herdsmen, the cows and the community, we need to upgrade and modernise our ways.
“I have said this about four or five years ago when I visited the Abia State where I said we should stop this idea of pasteurization, we should rethink and rework this arrangement, he said.
Governor Tambuwal advised that grazing reserves and routes should only be situated where the host community were willing to have them to forestall crisis.
“I have advised that President Buhari should only build either grazing reserves or routes where the people are interested where the people or the host community are interested.
“If government can provide infrastructure and support in location where this projects are tolerated and understood how can there be any friction between both parties?
“When I came in as a governor, I inherited the ranching programme from my predecessor, Aliyu Wammako of bringing cattle species from Argentina, now I have completed the multi-billion naira project.
“Our herdsmen have keyed into the programme, the fact is that we need to modernize our system and our ways of doing things, he emphases.
Governor Tambuwal said that businesses should be conducted in ways that would not be detrimental to other peoples way of life adding that the business of cattle rearing should be align with 21st century business ideals.
“We should be talking of transacting businesses worth billions of naira in the comfort of our homes.
“Why are we talking about pursuing cattle that only worth N5 or N10 million to cause discomfort and exposing ourselves to danger,” he said.
