Chidimma Uchegbu – Abuja
As part of the ongoing efforts to transform Nigeria’s livestock sector through inclusive and sustainable development, the Honourable Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, continued his three-day working visit to Plateau State with a strategic focus on peacebuilding, economic revitalisation, and community engagement.
Oghenekevwe Uchechukwu, Press and Public Relations Department stated in the statement issued to newsmen that on the second day of the visit, the Minister led a high-level delegation to the expansive Wase Grazing Reserve, one of Nigeria’s largest spanning, nearly 100,000 hectares. There, he met with traditional rulers, local government officials, state authorities, and livestock stakeholders to rub minds with them on the need for peaceful coexistence and the long-term benefits of the proposed Wase Livestock Village, a flagship component of the Ministry’s vision for national livestock reform.
Speaking at the site, Maiha reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to modernising the livestock sector through strategic infrastructural investments, adding that the rehabilitation of the reserve was a deliberate peacebuilding strategy.
“This is one in a long journey of rehabilitating the 417 grazing reserves across the country. We have chosen Wase not only because of its vast landmass but also because of Plateau State’s historic and strategic position in Nigeria’s livestock ecosystem. We are here to preach peace and restore hope by building sustainable systems that bring people together around shared prosperity,” the Minister said.
Highlighting the scope of the project, the Minister explained that the rehabilitation plan includes provision of pasture for year-round feed cultivation, veterinary and human health facilities, educational services for pastoralist children, water infrastructure, and investments in processing industries such as meat, dairy, biogas, and organic fertilizer.
“We believe that the future of livestock is in structured, modern settlements. It’s no longer sustainable to have nomadic systems across vast, unregulated spaces,” he said. “With this initiative, we are not only ensuring food security but also fostering peace, engaging youths, and driving economic empowerment.”
The Minister was received at the site by the Executive Chairman of Wase LGA, Hon. Hamisu Mohammed Anani, who pledged the local government’s unwavering support to see the project through.
“We are here to collaborate with the federal government to ensure this initiative becomes a model of success,” Anani said, noting the ongoing development of Napier grass fields and other groundwork initiated by the state and local authorities.
Also lending his voice, the Plateau State Commissioner for Livestock Development, Veterinary Services and Fisheries, Dr. Sunday Akpa, described the Minister’s visit as “a new dawn for Peace and livestock development in Plateau,” reiterating that the state government had already commenced preliminary work on the grazing reserve under the directive of Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang.
A defining moment of the inspection tour was when the Honourable Minister boarded a tractor and tilled the land himself, a development that was warmly received by stakeholders and local leaders, who saw it as a powerful commitment of the Federal Government to not just talk about change, but to drive it.
The train moved to Kanam Local Government Area, where Maiha met with community leaders and stakeholders, including the Executive Chairman of Kanam LGA, Hon. Ayuba Salihu Musa, where he again appealed to the people to embrace peace, adding that no meaningful development can take place without sustainable peace.
In his remarks, Musa stressed the importance of dairy cattle breeding and commercial feed production to sustain the livestock ecosystem, expressing optimism that the federal intervention would accelerate economic development in the area.
Traditional rulers, including the Emir of Wase, Dr. Muhammadu Sambo Haruna II and the Emir of Kanam, Alhaji Mohammed Muazu Mohammed II, commended the Honourable Minister for his foresight and peace building and assured him of the full support of their emirates.
The Honourable Minister also featured as a special guest on Wase Rock FM, where he called on the entire people of Plateau State to embrace peaceful coexistence. Speaking passionately about the transformative potential of the livestock sector, he said, “From red meat packaging, dairy revival, to cold chain logistics, the entire value chain is a goldmine for everyone to participate.
The Minister called on all stakeholders to participate in the value chain, adding that the business of Livestock should not be ethnicised but approached purely as a business in which everyone can participate.
“The modern abattoir being constructed in Jos with a capacity of 500 bulls per day will require a structured supply chain, opening opportunities for thousands of youths”.
With the support of the Plateau State Government, relevant federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), traditional institutions, and the local councils, the Ministry of Livestock Development is poised to roll out the Wase Livestock Village as a national model for sustainable livestock production, rural development, and peacebuilding.
