STORIES BY
GABRIEL EWEPU

The Nigeria Veterinary Medical Association, NVMA, yesterday accused the federal government for neglecting the huge economic potentials in the livestock industry.

Speaking at a press conference,  President of the association, Dr. Gani Enahoro, said government had failed to tap the massive resources in the livestock sub-sector as much emphasis was still laid on the oil and gas sector.

Enahoro said: “Nigeria ought to step up in recognising so many dormant resources, non-oil reserves and potentials, and as such that exists in animal and livestock resources.   We have a lot of potentials trapped that the attention given to the oil sector has allowed such areas to remain untapped.

“We need as a country to de-emphasize our dependence on oil alone as a revenue earner. The problem of unemployment and attendant criminality associated can be reduced drastically through a large scale government inspired animal farming. We should use the opportunities in livestock production to reduce youth unemployment in this country.

“The minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Akinwumi Adesina is doing well in the agricultural transformation agenda, as veterinarians we believe the emphasis on crop is too overwhelming such that the livestock transformation agenda is not been given the due attention, despite the huge resources that is obtainable in this sub-sector of agriculture, and it is a source of worry for us.

“We believe as a profession that if you must have the best in terms of the available resources in animals in this country, we must start thinking of having a separate ministry of animal health, livestock production and fisheries.”

According to Enahoro, the association has a membership of over 7, 000 registered veterinary doctors and nine veterinary schools. He added that the association was established as a statutory regulatory body in 1963, after veterinary medicine was introduced as a course of study in 1963 in the University of Ibadan.

He said the association had made significant achievements in the livestock industry as its effort had made Nigeria rinderpest disease free as certified by the World Animal Health Organisation, WAHO, and following the dexterity of its members avian influenza or bird flu was brought under control when it was discovered in Nigeria.

Gani also urged herdsmen to be tolerant and have feelings for crop farmers and avoid unnecessary clashes.