By Shehu Usman A Fulani socio-cultural group, Kulen Allah Cattle Rearers Association of Nigeria, (KACRAN), has tasked presidential c...
By Shehu Usman
A Fulani socio-cultural group, Kulen Allah Cattle Rearers
Association of Nigeria, (KACRAN), has tasked presidential candidates to fully
incorporate livestock development in their policies and programs or risk losing
their bloc votes in the forthcoming general elections.
KACRAN’s National President, Hon. Khalil Mohd Bello gave the
charge in a statement issued on Tuesday and made available to DAILY POST in
Damaturu.
The Association observed with dismay that despite herders’
numerous contributions to the nation’s economic development and provision of
nutritional food to Nigerians, they were also ignored when it came to policy
and program formulations.
“Most politicians, with the exception of very few States,
are neither mindful nor concerned with the vital role played by the livestock
sector towards creating millions of job opportunities for our youths and people
whose livelihood fully depend on pastoral occupation.
“KACRAN noticed that it is only through the creation of the
Federal Ministry of Animal resources that herders’ problems and daily pressing
needs related to water points or animal feed during the dry period will be
adequately taken care of.
“The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
is fully charged with numerous responsibilities that cannot allow it to fully
incorporate livestock development in its yearly or daily programs, hence
necessitating our appeal for the creation of a special Ministry for Animal
Resources.
“Most of the money given to the said Ministry is always spent
on the development of arable farming to the detriments of Fisheries and
livestock sectors”, Khalil said.
The National President, who felicitated with Asiwaju Bola
Ahmed Tinubu, Atiku Abubakar; Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso and Peter Obi, the
presidential candidates of APC, PDP, NNPP and LP, respectively for their
emergence as candidates of their parties, also called on them to incorporate
livestock development in their policies and programs during their campaign
exercises.
“We want our politicians to note that we have millions of
herders who have their PVCs at hand and are ready to cast them to candidates of
their choice, more especially the ones who they noticed care about their
interest and general survival.
“KACRAN also wants to draw the attention of our presidential
and gubernatorial candidates that pastoralists’ block votes, especially in the
Northern part of this country or at a highly competitive presidential level,
will help one to clinch power”, he claimed.
Bello warned politicians not to underestimate the powers of
the herders when it comes to voting.
“We KACRAN members always cast our votes en bloc, because we
normally don’t want to divide our votes, but always put them based on the
person or party we strongly believe will fully consider us in policy
formulation and implementation”, he maintained.
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