Gov. Bello proposes grazing reserves, cattle tax to curb herders, farmers crashes

The Governor of Niger State, Abubakar Bello, says the only solution to the incessant clashes between herdsmen and farmers across the country is the creation of grazing reserves and the enforcement of cattle tax.

Bello who said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday, December 27, added that creating cattle reserves and enforcing cattle tax would not only “usher in peace among communities, but increase the per capita income of both the state and individuals.”

“We have a programme in which we have invited herders into Niger State and allocated 5,000 hectares of land to them to graze their cattle.

“Our purpose is to reduce herders and farmers conflicts as well as tackle insecurity because these herders pay taxes.

Read also: NIGER STATE: APC’s Abubakar Bello wins re-election

“If a civil servant that earns N30,000 pays tax, why not a Fulani with many cows? From our data, a Fulani with two cows that produce 15 to 20 litres of milk daily earns about N200,000 a month.

“With the cattle tax, every one of the herders will be known one on one and we will be able to know when strangers come in.

“Also, we will provide every need of the Fulani to herd his cow in the grazing reserve, then there will be an agreement for them to buy pastures for their cows from companies in exchange for milk,” the Governor said.

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