The Kano state governor, Abdullahi Ganduje has given reason why he kicked against open grazing saying rather there is need to develop the ranching system where the herdsmen are confined to a place where they can have animal husbandry in the modern system.
Ganduje stated this while speaking with newsmen after he delivered his 61st independence anniversary speech in Kano on Friday.
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According to him, the Children of herders who always moved along with them would not have qualitative and sound education while moving with cows inside the bush or forest
“The greatest crime in migrating from north to south for grazing is lack of education for the children of the herders.
“As far as Iam concerned, that is the greatest crime, you deny somebody education. No Islamic education, no western education, nothing whatsoever, that is why we are in the problems in which we are now in the North
“Because the children will not be able to have education, to me it is criminal. Will the education system follow them along with the routes from north to central to southern parts of this country? Can any educational system agree with that?
He noted that one of the issues that brought the dichotomy between Northern and Southern governors, was the issue of open grazing.
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He, however, disclosed that each state has the powers to make laws and there is diversity in each of these states. What is one problem to this state may not be a problem to another state. So states have the powers with their state assemblies to make laws.
His words, “I have been saying it is unfortunate that this issue of open grazing has brought a lot of controversy. Like I earlier said, trekking alongside with cows, from northern part of this country to the middle belt or central part of this country or to the south, to me it’s not acceptable. ”
That is one. The other issue is that some of these herdsmen are from West African countries. Because of climatic change they move down to northern parts of this country, to the Middle Belt and to the South with thousands of cattle and with arms
“Should that be acceptable to Nigeria? Can’t we take it to the ECOWAS organization since it is created by the problem? Before the issue of the climatic change and many many years ago, the relationship between herdsmen and farmers was esteemed symbiotic relationship.
According to him, “While the farmers provide grazing areas for the herdsmen, the herdsmen provide manure for the farmers.”
But, now the discovery of fertilizer, the farmer does not require manure as such and with the increase of population, the grazing areas are reduced. Even with the climate change, the vegetation has changed. So now the relationship is a parasitic relationship not a symbiotic relationship and that being conflict.
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have been saying herdsmen have not succeeded in killing poverty and poverty has not succeeded in killing herdsmen, because a man with thousands of cattle cannot be called a poor man, he is moving with a mobile bank.
But there is no doubt, somebody who treks from the north to the south cannot be called a rich man. If you look at his shoes and his body you will understand that the herdsman has not succeeded in killing poverty and poverty has not succeeded in killing the herdsman.
