President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday, approved the recommendations of a committee to review “with dispatch” 368 grazing sites across 25 states in the country “to determine the levels of encroachment.” The president’s directive followed his approval of the recommendations of a committee chaired by the Chief of Staff the President, Ibrahim Gambari. The Official Spokesperson to President Buhari, Garba Shehu made this known in a statement issued on Thursday. Members of the committee include the governor of Kebbi State and Vice-chairman, National Food Security Council, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu; governor of Ebonyi State and chairman of NEC Sub-Committee for National Livestock Transformation Plan, David Umahi; Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu; Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Sabo Nanono; Minister of Environment, Dr. Mohammad Mahmood Abubakar, and deputy chief of staff, Ade Ipaye.
Shehu said the committee which held its inaugural meeting on May 10, 2021, had recommended the collection of field data collection on 368 Grazing Reserves across 25 states to assess encroachment and encroachers, stakeholder engagements, and sensitisation.
The committee, he noted, also recommended the production of maps and geo-mapping/tapping of sites, analysis of findings and report preparations as well as design appropriate communication on grazing reserves and operations.
Mr. Shehu explained that the number of the grazing reserves and states were deduced from considerations of existing security concerns and other pre-existing socio-economic conditions.
Among its terms of reference, the committee was to collate from states and confirm the status of all Grazing Reserves, assess the percentage of available land and those with existing encroachment complications for case-by-case resolution in partnership with state governments, and the FCT.
