By Ahmed Mohammed Danasabe, Lokoja
Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi State has inaugurated a 17- man Conflict Prevention and Resolution Committee as part of efforts to ensure peaceful co – existence between farmers and herders in the state.
Inaugurating the committee in Lokoja on Thursday, Ododo charged members to check, regulate and monitor the movement of herdsmen and their livestocks along the stock routes to prevent farmers/herders clashes.
The Inauguration event was put together by the Kogi Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (Kogi L- Pres).
The governor listed the terms of reference of the committee to include; guide the project on tracing and demarcating of stock routes and grazing reserves.
Represented by Dr. Olufemi Bolarin,
Kogi L-Pres State Project Coordinator, Gov. Ododo added that the committee’s assignment include enlightening farmers and herders on the importance of each other to the society and peaceful coexistence.
Similarly, the Committee is to encourage disputing parties to resolve their differences amicably by facilitating settlements of disputes between farmers and herders, as well as determine compensation of any party who suffer losses.
Further more, the Committee was charged to enlighten farmers on the need to evacuate farm produces within a period as well as to access compensation in respect of loss or damage to farm produce or livestock.
The Committee’s function Gov. Ododo added is to ensure that farmers do not encroach on any existing tract, leading to a stream, river or water cause for purpose of watering livestock.
Speaking at the Inauguration, Hon. Timothy Ojoma, Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, described the administration of Gov Ododo as one that places emphasis on food security.
He said the committee could not have come at a better time than now.
According to the Commissioner, food security is key to food sufficiency.
He reiterated the huge spending by the present administration on agriculture towards feeding the people.
The Commissioner noted the vital location of the State, with available market for its food produce.
He urged the committee to take the challenge seriously, expressed confidence on the ability of the committee to deliver on it mandate.
In a presentation, Dr. Gbenro Olajuyigbe, Director, Emergency and Risk Alert in a paper titled: “Dialogue in pursuit of peace between farmer herder Communities,” recommended the.
Setting up local government community platforms, maintaining conflict diaries as well as the need to set up early warning systems to check farmer herder conflicts.
He also advocated the need for mechanism/vigilance committee to check conflict between farmers and herders, urging the Committee to be apolitical in their activities.
He stressed the need to establish a national peace dialogue committee, establish inclusive security architecture and strengthen capacity’s of security agencies to be able to curtail conflicts arising from farmers and herders.
Olajuyigbe listed historical/cultural, ecological, economic, political as well as the vulnerabilities, weaponization, radicalization to violent extremism as some reasons for farmer herder conflicts in the country.
Highlights of the event was the Inauguration of the 17-man Committee which has the Commissioner for Agriculture as Chairman.
Other members of the Committee include the Attah Igala, who was represented by Chief Emmanuel Onuche amongst other members.
