Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, Governor of Benue, announced on Thursday that his state is experiencing relative peace, enabling farmers to return to previously abandoned farms due to farmers/herders clashes.

He made this statement while briefing State House correspondents after meeting with President Bola Tinubu.

Alia visited the President to update him on Benue’s state of affairs, highlighting the high levels of peace during the current farming season.

“Since 1999, our people have paid less attention to farming, but since last year, and particularly this season, they have returned to the farms.

“We need to produce more and fill our basket to capacity.

He said that Benue had made significant security strides, with minor skirmishes persisting in two to three local governments.

Alia emphasised the need for attention in these areas to eradicate all skirmishes.

Regarding the federal government’s flood warning, Alia said his administration had implemented measures to prevent flooding.

“We are prepared to tackle flooding, having carried out adequate sensitisation for riverbank residents.

“We seek the Federal Government’s assistance to dredge the River Benue.

According to the governor, the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) is equipped to handle flood-related challenges.

“We are prepared, not just waiting. We have SEMA, an emergency management team, and they are armed to respond.”

The governor noted that in spite of warnings, some residents refused to evacuate flood-prone areas.

“However, the government will persist in appealing to them, simultaneously highlighting the risks associated with staying in these vulnerable locations,” he said. (NAN)

China’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai, has urged Nigeria to adopt strategic reforms and poverty alleviation mechanisms in order to fastrack the nation’s economic growth.

The ambassador stated this during a seminar on: “Taking New Opportunities for China-Nigeria Cooperation in Deepening Reform in the New Era,” organised by the Embassy on Thursday in Abuja.

He emphasised the importance of collaboration between the two nations, drawing from China’s own experiences in lifting about 800 million people out of poverty over the past few decades.

Yu outlined several key recommendations for Nigeria, focusing on enhancing agricultural productivity, promoting vocational training, and fostering infrastructural development.

“Poverty alleviation is not just about financial support; it is about creating sustainable opportunities,” he said.

The Chinese envoy said that Nigeria could benefit from adopting a multi-faceted approach similar to the one employed by China.

Yu while acknowledging Nigeria’s strides in poverty reduction, particularly in urban areas, pointed out the persisting challenges in rural regions where poverty rates remain high.

He said that China’s agricultural reforms in the late 20th century were a model, which involved introducing modern farming techniques, improving irrigation systems, and providing farmers with better access to markets.

The ambassador also stressed the importance of education and vocational training as critical components of poverty alleviation.

“Investing in human capital is essential. China also invested a lot in educating its people from having 1 million students yearly to having over 13 million university students every year.

“We also provided vocational training for many people because we believe the vital role education plays in equipping young people with the skills is crucial for building a prosperous future,” he noted.

He highlighted China’s significant investments in education, nurturing millions of university students annually, and offering vocational training to equip individuals with essential skills for a prosperous future.

Yu further urged the Nigerian government to prioritise investments in key infrastructure such as roads, electricity, and transportation networks, noting that they were crucial for economic growth and poverty alleviation.

He cited China’s progress in the electric vehicle market and transportation sector as examples of how infrastructural development fuels economic advancement.

Yu added that in line with China’s commitment to continuous reform, over 300 reform measures were set to be achieved in the next five years.

He said that this was because a successful poverty eradication is attributed to continuous reform, which removes outdated practices and obstacles.

While advocating for openness to learning from other nations, Yu highlighted the importance of preserving each country’s unique history, culture, and identity.

He stressed the value of mutual learning and exchange without resorting to mere imitation.

In his response, Mr Muhammad Sulaiman, President of the Society of Nigerian Artists, echoed Nigeria’s dedication to reform efforts.

He said that Nigeria was committed to economic restructuring and growth across various sectors.

NAN reports that the seminar concluded with a call for continued dialogue between Nigeria and China.

Both nations expressed the desire to further strengthen their partnerships in various sectors, including trade, technology, and education.(NAN)

The Presidential Committee on Implementation of Livestock Reforms, proposed that a combination of ranching and open grazing could be the most viable solution to the farmer-herder crisis in Nigeria.

The Chairman of the committee , Prof. Attahiru Jega, made this known on Thursday, after the 23-member committee submitted a report to President Bola Tinubu on Thursday in Abuja.

Briefing State House correspondents, Jega said the committee, which was inaugurated on July 9, had been able to produce an inception report, which he said contained wide ranging recommendations on the transformation of the livestock sector.

“The committee recommended that open grazing and ranching would coexist until enough awareness and adequate infrastructure were created for full adoption of ranching.

“We’ve also made recommendations in terms of how some of these challenges can be addressed,” he said.

He said the President had given his committee full support and encouragement to also drive the process of the implementation of the recommendations of the committee with the new ministry driving the process.

The professor also said the committee provided detailed guidelines on the establishment of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development.

He emphasised the need for focused implementation of the recommendations and periodic review to see where there would be need for repositioning or strengthening of the focus and effort in the actualisation of the recommendations.

“We believe that our recommendations are quite comprehensive, and if we can meticulously implement them, no doubt, very soon we will begin to see its positive impact on our economy.

“Whether it is in terms of job creation or in terms of development of products and services, or even opening up opportunities for exports,” he said.

He said the report specifically contained recommendations on how to develop the value chain of the livestock sector to tap its potential to enhance economic growth and development.

He added that the recommendations included how to create jobs, and also ensure not only food, feed, and nutrition security, but also begin to export many of the products associated with the sector.

“We believe that there has been a neglect of this sector for a very long time.

“And we are happy that Mr. President has recognised the need to redress this neglect, and has invited us to contribute to finding ways and the means of unlocking the opportunities in this sector.

“So, I’m very pleased to say that today we presented an inception report to Mr. President. And it’s a document of about 152 pages divided into five sectors,” said Jega.

He said in the report, the committee addressed 12 terms of reference, and developed 22 objectives of what the reform effort in the livestock sector should entail.

“We’ve been able to make specific recommendations on each of these areas.

“In addition to that, we were also able to identify achievable targeted indicators, about 3,146 of them.

“We believe that by pursuing these and actualising them, there is no doubt that within a reasonable time frame, a maximum period of 10 years, we would see remarkable improvements in virtually all aspects of the livestock sector,” Jega said.

He said the recommendations of the committee included mitigation of the perennial conflicts associated with activities of pastoralists and the nomadic herders.(NAN)