Delta Govt reaffirms resolve to end farmer-herder clashes

BY NOSA AKENZUA

Delta State Government (DTSG), has given its assurance that it would always strive to find ways to ensure peaceful farmer-herder coexistence for the betterment of the state.

The Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Dr Godfrey Enita, gave the assurance after a meeting with members of the Delta State Livestock Management Committee in his office in Asaba, the state capital on Thursday.

Enita said the meeting was aimed at picking up from where the committee left after its change of leadership, on how to bring an end to the lingering crisis between farmers and cattle rearers at identified flash points in the state.

He said in the light of the development, more sensitisation for peaceful coexistence would be taken to rural communities in the state to help reduce the rate of farmers, herders clashes in the rural areas.

Speaking further, the commissioner said that as part of actions put in place by the committee, under the leadership of the immediate past Commissioner in the ministry, Chief Julius Egbedi, to ensure food security, efforts had been put in place to checkmate the menace.

The Commissioner said the law was still in place and that the committee would ensure that along with the coordinators in the various Local Government areas of the state, a taskforce would be established in each of the Local Government areas to help ensure the enforcement of the law.

According to him, the taskforce in each of the Local Government areas would comprise the security agencies, community representatives, local government officials and the vigilantees, who, he said, would work in synergy with security agencies.

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He said while sensitising the farmers and the herders, it would be ideal for them to understand that, while trying to fight for their rights, the law should not be taken into their hands extrajudicially, and the committee, would also work hard towards ensuring that the herdsmen and their cattle do not go destroying people’s farm crops and that the community dwellers in turn did not destroy the herdsmen cattle.

Present at the meeting were Mr Matthew Ossai Ujene, Mr Christopher Ohwo, Mr Otogo Enejeta Samuel, Mr Julius Omonizua, Dr. Diai Charles Oseluku, CSP Austine Duru, Mr Jonah Nwigwe, DC Duruegbuso Victor, Mr Bebefagha Cletus, Mr Michael Esegba, Mr Victor Okolie, Erhuvwu Akpoghene, Mr Frank Aghara, Dr Augustine Ojogbo, Alhaji Shuwa Adamu Musa.