Herdsmen make fresh demands from government

 

A Fulani socio-cultural association, Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Bauchi State chapter, has appealed to the state government to establish additional earth dams and expand grazing reserve areas in the state.

The state chairman of the association, Alhaji Muhammadu Hussaini, made the appeal when he interacted with reporters in Bauchi Sunday.

He said, “The additional earth dams and expansion of grazing reserve areas will curtail the clashes between farmers and cattle herdsmen and it will reduce movement of Fulani from one place to another in search of water and grazing reserve.”

Hussaini said all the cattle routes were taken over by modern roads and houses built by government and individuals with no replacement, an action he said puts herdsmen in difficult position.

He asked the state government to provide them with subsidized cotton seed for their cows, adding that “it’s very important presently the sack of the cotton seed is being sold between N3,500 to N4, 000 and if government subsidized it Fulani will buy it between N1,500 to N2,000 and this will make them stay in one place and educate their children”.

The chairman identified shortage of teachers in Fulani nomadic schools as one their major problems and advised government to employ more teachers and supervise them to ensure that they are attending to the schools regularly instead of attending the school once in a week as has been happening in many nomadic schools.

He thanked the Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir for pledging to implement the newly-introduced Ruga programme by the Federal government, and assured him of their support towards the success of the exercise.

Hussaini advised the government to emulate Jigawa State government by demarcating 50 meters at cattle route from the main road.