The recruitment of 120 State Livestock Management Officers to address herder/farmer clashes and ensure seamless farming activities has been announced by the Delta state government. The Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mr Val Arenyeka, revealed this in a media parley in Asaba the Delta state capital.
Arenyeka explained that issues of criminality and the herder/farmer crisis fall within the remit of the Federal Government, adding, “As a state, we initially recruited 50 SLMOs and are now engaging an additional 70 officers to monitor farming activities across the 25 Local Government Areas.” He said further, “I believe those involved in the herder/farmer crisis are criminal elements pretending to be herders, and it is up to the Federal Government to tackle these challenges.”
To address food shortages, Arenyeka stated that all, including journalists, must embrace farming noting that agriculture has evolved from manual to technology-driven methods, stressing that it is the responsibility of Nigerians to feed themselves rather than rely on other countries.
The Chairman of the Asaba Correspondents Chapel, Comrade Ifeanyi Olanye, encouraged the Commissioner to explore and deploy all available resources towards achieving food security and job creation, in line with Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s M.O.R.E. Agenda, which according to him would be extended to farmers.
