Amid controversy over the Federal Government’s announcement of the creation of the Livestock Ministry, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has revealed that Lagos State consumes about 6,000 cows daily.
MACBAN stated that the volume of consumption highlighted the significance of livestock trade to the region’s economy.
The association also noted that around 8,000 cows were consumed daily across the entire southwestern region of Nigeria, with about 250 truckloads of cattle entering the area each day.
This indicates that Oyo, Ogun, Ekiti, Osun, and Ondo consume approximately 2,000 cows daily.
These statistics were shared amid ongoing debates surrounding the Federal Government’s proposal to create a Ministry of Livestock Development.
In early July, President Bola Tinubu announced the potential creation of a Ministry of Livestock Development at the State House in Abuja.
In an interview with Saturday PUNCH, MACBAN National President, Alhaji Baba Othman-Ngelzarma, suggested that the opposition, particularly from the southern regions, was largely sentimental.
He argued that the livestock sector, particularly cattle rearing, was predominantly managed by northerners, adding that its economic benefits were more significantly reaped in the South, especially in Lagos.
“Our statistics show that 6,000 cows are consumed in Lagos daily. Imagine the huge benefits of processing 6,000 cows daily.
“Our statistics also show that 250 truckloads of cows, each carrying between 35 to 40 cows, enter the southwestern part of the country daily.
“This means that the entire Southwest consumes over 8,000 cows daily”, Othman-Ngelzarma stated.
Supporting Othman-Ngelzarma, the National President of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Kabiru Ibrahim, said the creation of the ministry was long overdue.
“The ministry is long overdue. From my experience as the President of the Poultry Association of Nigeria, I have seen that the ministry has a lot of potential to boost the economy. I don’t see any reason why anyone will oppose the creation of the ministry.
“The creation is a welcome development, provided it includes a transparent process and the transparent management of resources. For instance, milk has never been sufficient in Nigeria.
“We have always imported milk and we are still importing. If we have such a Livestock ministry, we will be able to boost the production of milk, reduce importation, and our economy will grow faster”.
