By Ben Agande, Kaduna.

In a major change of position, the northern governors yesterday said it was not opposed to ranching of cattle as a way of checking the incessant clashes between farmers and herdsmen and also to improve the production of dairy products from animal production.

Addressing journalists at the end of a meeting of Northern governors forum in Kaduna Thursday, the governor of Borno state, Kashim Shettima said ranching is the surest way of enhancing the productivity of animals in the country.

According to him, while cattle’s in other climes produce as much as 40 litres of milk per day, the breed of cattles in the country produce only as much as one litre, saying that it is not enough to sustain the bludgeoning population in the country especially the northern part.

He however said measures are being put in place by various state governments to improve the breed of cattle and the quality of milk they produce.

On the incessant clashes between farmers and herdsmen, the forum noted that it was committed to rendering “full and unequivocal support to the Federal Government in its unwavering commitment and dogged determination to address the multifarious security
challenges in all parts of the nation. The Forum particularly extends its support to the Federal Government for the measures so far put in place to resolve the lingering clashes between farmers and herdsmen:

It also called for an “implementable and viable strategic measures should to be initiated by governments at all levels, to forestall future occurrence of any form of communal crisis

While calling for an articulation of comprehensive plan for intervention to those States affected by the lingering crisis, the forum “strongly admonish political, religious and ethnic jingoist to avoid imputing religious, ethnic and political coloration to such conflicts”.

On the recent abduction of over one hundred girls in a secondary school in Dapchi, Yobe state, the northern governors forum expressed appreciation to the President “for his timely and effective response to the abduction of the Dapchi school girls in Yobe State.

“Our prayers and commiseration goes to the Government and people of Yobe State as well as the families of the victims over the sad and unfortunate incident” he said.

The post We are not opposed to ranching – Northern Governors appeared first on Vanguard News.