By Chuks Njoku
Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto state while reacting to the recent pronouncement by the federal government regarding the review of the grazing routes across the country has pointed out that it will not be necessary to institute grazing routes in regions that do not need it. This is coming at a time when cross-section of Nigerians from the southern region have continued to voice out their disagreement over the policy.
You could recall that few months ago, the 17 governors of the southern region had in a communique, rejected the plan by the FG to re-enforce the grazing routes across the country. And as a follow-up, some states had openly banned open grazing and prohibited the act.
Recently, the presidency had decided to review the 368 grazing reserves across 25 states in the country. This had come as a recommendation of the Ibrahim Gambari-led committee set up by the president.
Speaking on the development, the Sokoto state governor has rejected the move questioning why grazing reserves should be set up in regions that did not need it noting that it is very unnecessary to take infrastructure to a region that did not request for it. “Why would a cattle rearer from Sokoto in the north pursue his cows to Delta state in the south”? he wondered.
The outspoken governor opined that it is time for the northern region to come face to face with the reality of the fact that the development of the grazing route was not helpful for the Fulani herdsmen themselves, their cows, and the communities they pass through. Hence, he advised the President, Buhari to only carry out the construction of the cattle grazing routes and reserves where the people or communities are interested.
