Makinde, Sanwo-Olu, Other Southern Governors Declare Total Ban on Open Grazing

 

Call for Restructuring, National Dialogue, and Review of Federal Appointments

Governors in the Southern part of Nigeria under the aegis of the Southern Governors Forum (SGF) have announced an immediate and total ban on open grazing in Southern Nigeria while calling for a restructuring, national dialogue, and a review of appointments into Federal agencies to reflect a Federal character.

These unanimous decisions and calls were made at the SGF Security Summit held earlier today in Asaba, Delta State capital city.

The meeting had in attendance 15 Governors from South- West, South-East, South-South states. The Imo and Akwa Ibom State Deputy Governors were also present while the Governors of Cross Rivers and Osun State were absent.

In a communiqué issued after the closed-door meeting, the Chairman of Southern Governors Forum, Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu noted that the influx of armed herders, criminals, and bandits is posing a great threat to the security of people in different Southern states and as a result, they all resolved that open grazing of cattle should be banned across Southern Nigeria.

He subsequently urged the Federal Government to support willing states to develop an alternative and modern livestock management system.

The Governors also raised the long-discussed issue of restructuring and called for the Federal Government to start restructuring, among other things, the Nigerian police to bring about the long-desired State Police. They also called for the Federal Government to review appointments into Federal Government Agencies to better reflect the diversity of culture in Nigeria and move away from the current widespread Nepotism in the Federal System.

While attributing the current agitation in the country to a greater need for inclusiveness in governance, they also stressed the urgent need for national dialogue.

“The progress of the nation requires that urgent and bold steps be taken to restructure the Nigeria Federation leading to evolution of state police, review of revenue allocation formula in favor of the sub-national government and creation of other institutions which legitimately advance our commitment to the true practice of federalism”.

The state of the Apapa Wharf and the resultant Oshodi-Apapa Expressway gridlock it causes was not left out of their deliberations. They eventually concluded that the establishment and activation of ports in other coastal Nigerian States has become a necessity to lighten the load on the Apapa Wharf, and also to create new jobs and opportunities in the Country.