Farmers/herders crisis is root of banditry — Governor Badaru

The Jigawa State governor, Alhaji Muhammadu Badaru Abubakar, has explained that the “farmers/herdsmen crisis is the root cause of banditry in all the affected states. Therefore, overcoming the farmers/herders’ crisis is the first and best alternative in tackling armed banditry and other criminal activities in all the affected states.”

According to him, despite the fact that Jigawa is in the Northeast where the situation is worse but “Jigawa is relatively peaceful in the region. This is as a result of proactive measures, efforts and commitment by my predecessors we inherited and more.

“Saminu Turaki’s administration demarcated cattle routes and grazing reserves, while Lamido constructed windmills and improved grazing reserves and built nomadic schools.

“When we came in, we continued from where they stopped and also introduced the mobile veterinary services in 30 wards to help herders get access to veterinary services in their areas.

“Unfortunately, these issues were not handled enough in other places; that is why probably the problem escalated in some states.”

On her part, the special adviser to the president on Business Made Easy (BME), Dr Jumoke Oduwole, said Jigawa has consistently ranked among the top three states on ease of doing business in the country.

She said, “Our being here today is tangible evidence of the collaboration between the Federal Government and state governments in making Nigeria a progressively easier place in which to do business.” 

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Oduwole explained that the National Economic Council (NEC) unanimously approved the replication of the PEBEC model at the subnational level, with the nomination of State Reform Champions and the inauguration of Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) Councils across states. 

According to her, “Our team has followed your policies, programmes and interventions closely, and we see that the state has come a long way since this administration assumed office. It is not surprising that Jigawa has consistently ranked among the top three states on ease of doing business in the country. 

“His Excellency has told me point-blank, in the presence of my boss, that he has his eyes set on Jigawa being number one in the next iteration of the Subnational Ease of Doing Business Report due to be released in Q2 of 2022!” 

She added that indeed, this level of commitment was again made evident with a highly productive technical meeting of the Jigawa State Ease of Doing Business Council members, including the Chair of the Council, the Deputy Governor, Mallam Umar Namadi.

Ojuwale maintained that “We are targeting an enabling environment in which it is progressively easier to do business across all arms and levels of government, where policies are predictable and consistent, with macro-economic stability, and where the government acts as a partner to business and investment, not a competitor or adverse regulator.  

“Our ‘Ease of Doing Business’ reform efforts demonstrate in clear terms our readiness to support our ambitions with all the political will available.”