Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
The Edo State government has told the National Association of Cattle Dealers, Processors and Marketers of Nigeria, Edo State chapter, that the profiling of herders in the state was not for the purpose of taxation.
The government disclosed this through its Commissioner of Livestock, Prof. Ikponmwonsa Omorodion while addressing the leadership of the association who was on a courtesy call on the ministry in Benin.
Prof. Omorodion said the reason is to ensure proper documentation, enhance security for both herders and formers in the state.
He said that the state in the recent times, witnessed a large number of herders but the problem is that, they are not properly documented.
Omorodion said the association has the responsibility of providing the state government with the accurate data to enable it plan for everyone resident in the state.
“We have a ministry set up with a view to developing livestock for job creation, solving security problem, and even growing our economy. Now, cattle dealer is a huge subset session.
“The pastoral are traversing from one location to the other. The question I’ll put forward to you today, is, can you boldly say you know the location of all the cattle in this state? If no, why? Because that is the beginning of the problem we want to attend to. If we must develop the sector, we must be on the same page. So if your members are resident in the forest, how are they your member? Do you have a record of or a profile of all the cattle dealers? Do you have such record? If no, how do we go about it? He asked rhetorically.
Earlier, the chairman of the association, Ibrahim Imokhai, who was represented by the secretary, Eghosa Aganmwonyi, said their visit was to seek for partnership with the ministry in order for it to succeed in its mandates in the state.
“And our mandate is to work with the ministry and thank God we now have a ministry of livestock in Edo state which is in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Mr. President.
“That’s why we are here to pledge our loyalty and to work with this ministry in every area where we are needed.
“Some of the assignments that are assigned are to support the ministry work on the area where they had always been the herders and farmers crisis, the issue of violence suspected or whatever it is that is associated with cattle, that we should submit ourselves and assist when necessary, assist the government in solving such problems”, Imokhai said.