Bobi grazing reserve to gulp N13bn ― Niger govt

NIGER State government has said that its comprehensive development plan to bring Bobi grazing reserve in Marita Local Government Area of the State to life would cost not less than about N13billions.

The State government had recently developed a 10 years development plan for the 30,000 hectares grazing reserve located in Oroh, near Kampani Bobi community in Mariga local government of the State.

The State Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Haruna Nuhu Dukku stated this in conjunction with his counterpart, Commissioner for Livestock and Fisheries , Alhaji Zakari Bawa Bala, in an interactive session with newsmen on Sunday in Minna, saying that “works on the grazing reserve would commence in earnest after a flag off by President Muhammadu Buhari at a date which would be announced very soon.

According to the Commissioners, the report of the committee set up for a comprehensive development blueprint for the reserve has gotten the nod of the Federal Government and other partners who have shown a keen interest in the project.

They explained that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has also indicated interest in supporting the Multi-Billion Naira reserve project, which would boast of modern abattoir and meat packaging centre, yoghurt making factory and other agro-allied industries.

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They noted that the reserve would boast of infrastructures such as pasture, electricity, water, schools, roads, hospitals, earth dams and other facilities.

According to them, “the state government has already commenced works on the access roads, veterinary clinic and police station, while works on boreholes around the existing communities within the reserve are near completion”.

The two top government officials also averred that the state government was considering the enforcement of cattle tax system for security purposes, adding that the tax regime will help in monitoring those who reside within the grazing reserve area.

“We have to as part of our programme, put in place the system to monitor and one thing we are considering even though we have not concluded yet, is the tax system.

“The tax system is good even for security purposes and that will allow us to monitor who and who resides within the grazing reserve,” they explained.

They, however, warned those using parts of the large expanse of land for farming, to desist from using the area already gazetted for the grazing reserve in order to avoid a clash between them and herdsmen.