Daniels Igoni, Yenagoa
THE Bayelsa State Livestock Management Committee has issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria and other operators to move their livestock out of the state.
Chairman of the 23-man committee and Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mr David Alagoa, said this in an interview with journalists after a meeting between the committee and some South-South chapters of the MACBAN at the Ministry on Saturday.
He warned that at the expiration of the notice, the committee would impound cows as movement by foot either at night or day would not be tolerated in the state.
Alagoa urged residents to be patient as much talk were ongoing with the MACBAN, adding that one of such processes to take cows out of Bayelsa had just started.
According to him, the state government created opportunities in the meat business for people to take advantage of and establish ranches or grow grass to sell to cattle breeders.
The commissioner said, “So, we’ve agreed that we give them a moratorium period of 10 days and by the 14th day, which falls on the 10th of April, we will start impounding (cows).
“If you are interested in cattle business in Bayelsa, the governor has opened up business opportunities of huge value chain in the meat business. It is time now. If you have land and you want to ranch, you can ranch, since we are going purely for ranching. If you want to plant grass and sell for cattle, you can sell.”
Also speaking, a member of the committee and retired Commissioner of Police, Mr Agberebi Akpoebi, noted that the state ‘Livestock Breeding, Rearing and Marketing Regulation Law, 2021’, which Governor Douye Diri assented to on March 10, was to prevent clashes between herders and farmers.
The chairman, MACBAN, Rivers chapter, Alhaji Mohammed Tukur, who spoke on behalf his counterparts, expressed appreciation to the Bayelsa State Government for allowing herdsmen to operate in the state.