The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has called on subnational governments across the country to replicate the federal government’s initiative of creating a livestock ministry.
LCCI President, Mr. Gabriel Idahosa, made this appeal during the chamber’s quarterly state-of-the-economy news conference held on Thursday in Lagos.
Regarding the establishment of the Ministry of Livestock Development, Idahosa highlighted that the initiative represents a significant shift in Nigeria’s agricultural policy landscape.
He emphasized the importance of considering the broader economic and business community implications. Idahosa urged the government to involve all relevant stakeholders in policy formulation and implementation and to establish clear communication channels to ensure transparency and foster stakeholder trust.
He said, “We call on the subnational governments to replicate this in their domains and reduce the persistent clashes over production locations.”
“Creating a dedicated ministry can provide targeted policies and resources to address the specific needs of the livestock sector, potentially leading to increased productivity and efficiency.”
“A robust livestock and fisheries sector can boost the agriculture sector’s contribution to our GDP and help curb the record-high food inflation,”
Value addition to the mining sector
He called on the government to address the mining sector’s funding issues and enhance access to finance for developing value-added products by establishing seed funds and attracting foreign and local investments.
The LCCI President stated that these measures would drive value addition, boost local production, create jobs, and establish linkages across the mineral sector and beyond.
Idahosa advised the government to consider revitalizing Ajaokuta Steel Company Ltd. (ASCL) and the Nigerian Iron Ore and Mining Company (NIOMCO) by adopting the best arrangements.
According to him, this approach would remove all obstacles, ultimately making them operational and viable.
Power sector
He, therefore, called for an aggressive metering program to achieve 100% coverage of electricity consumers.
According to him, this initiative would ensure liquidity for distribution companies and enhance consumer satisfaction by allowing them to pay only for what they consume.
He also emphasized the need to create an environment conducive to foreign investors building renewable energy factories in Nigeria. This would support energy transition efforts and reduce dependence on the national hydro grid.
Backstory
Last week, President Bola Tinubu announced the creation of the Ministry of Livestock Development to address the problem of farmer-herder conflict that has plagued the agricultural sector. The President disclosed this during the inauguration of the Presidential Committee on Livestock Reforms at the Presidential Villa.
Tinubu’s announcement of a Ministry of Livestock Development comes 10 months after he approved the establishment of the presidential committee to address herders and farmers’ clashes and strengthen the livestock and dairy industries.
The committee had recommended the creation of a livestock development Ministry.
