Connect with us

General

FG Kicks Off Long Awaited Ranching Project in Nasarawa

Published

on

Livestock Ranching Project

By Adedapo Adesanya

The federal government has launched the long-awaited National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP) in Nasarawa State.

This makes it the pilot state in the country to kick-start the ranching project initiated in 2018.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Sabo Nanono, and the Nasarawa State Governor, Mr Abdullahi Sule, launched the Model Ranching Hub Project in Awe Grazing Reserve, in Awe Local Government Area, on Thursday.

Also present was the Plateau State Governor and Chairman, Northern Governors’ Forum (NGF), Mr Simon Lalong, as well as other dignitaries.

In a speech before the launching of the project, Mr Sule said the state decided to key into the NLTP, even before he came into office because of security challenges, occasioned by farmers/herders conflicts along the boundary with Benue State.

“On arrival, we were faced with many challenges and one of the biggest challenges was that of security,” he stated.

According to the Governor, Nasarawa State also decided to key into the scheme because of its inherent economic benefits associated with ranching.

He added that the desire to maximally utilize the hitherto abandoned grazing reserves, which have become the hiding place for criminal elements, motivated the state to adopt the plan.

He noted that every state has grazing reserves but that the security of the people was more important than ownership of any land.

While appreciating President Muhammadu Buhari for making the scheme a reality, the Governor appealed to the federal government not to limit the commencement of the NLTP to Nasarawa State, but to ensure it takes off in Wase, Plateau State, as well as the other two states identified for the take-off of the project.

He particularly thanked the Netherlands government for also keying into the NLTP and for the financial support to make the project a reality.

On his part, the Agric Minister, Mr Nanono, commended the Nasarawa State Governor for not only accepting the initiative from the federal government but for working tirelessly to accelerate the launching of the NLTP first model ranching hub project in Awe.

Mr Nanono underscored the challenges confronting the nation’s livestock sector, ranging from poor productivity, resulting from poor land management, climate change, outdated animal husbandry practice, among others, which all together became a recipe for the breach of peace and security, due mostly to incessant clashes involving farmers and herders.

The worsening security breaches, according to the Minister, necessitated a holistic resolution that will cater for not only improved productivity in the livestock subsector but also justice, security, recovery for victims of violent clashes, as well as human capital development.

Giving a project overview, the National Coordinator and Senior Special Assistant to the President on Agriculture, Mr Andrew Kwasari, said the essence of the NLTP was to gradually develop the livestock subsector.

Mr Kwasari explained that the Awe model ranching hub will demonstrate ranching to the pastoralists and take them in batches at the household level and put them through the necessary technicalities.

In a goodwill message, the Dutch Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Harry Van Dijk, said the NLTP was a fallout of the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between President Muhammadu Buhari and a consortium in the Netherlands to develop ranching in Nigeria.

Adedapo Adesanya is a journalist, polymath, and connoisseur of everything art. When he is not writing, he has his nose buried in one of the many books or articles he has bookmarked or simply listening to good music with a bottle of beer or wine. He supports the greatest club in the world, Manchester United F.C.

Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

General

NURTW Crisis: Police Arraign Baruwa After ‘Coup’ Against MC Oluomo

Published

on

tajudeen baruwa

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

The attempt by Mr Tajudeen Baruwa to forcefully overthrow Mr Musiliu Akinsanya, otherwise known as MC Oluomo, as the chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) has landed him in trouble.

The factional chairman of the group was arrested by the police in Abuja on Monday after he led other members to the headquarters of NURTW to dislodge his opponent.

Mr Baruwa claimed that he won a case against MC Oluomo at the court, empowering him to take over the leadership of the union.

The action triggered pandemonium at the secretariat of the organisation yesterday, prompting officials of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to pick him up.

The police have arraigned him alongside the factional General Secretary, Mr Sulaiman Musa, and five others in connection with the incident.

They were charged at Magistrate Court 1, Wuse Zone 2, Abuja, by the police for disrupting public peace, though normalcy has since been restored to the area.

Continue Reading

General

Empowering Women Goes Beyond Celebrating IWD, Others—Interswitch HR

Published

on

Interswitch HR Franklin Ali

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

The Group Chief Human Resource Officer of Interswitch, Mr Franklin Ali, has highlighted the importance of creating deliberate opportunities that support women’s professional growth.

Speaking at a virtual session organised by the company to commemorate International Women’s Day (IWD) 2026 under the theme Give to Gain, he noted that, “At Interswitch, we believe empowering women goes beyond celebrating milestones like International Women’s Day. It requires creating meaningful platforms where women can learn, share experiences, and gain the visibility needed to grow as leaders. Through initiatives like Give to Gain, we encourage our women to recognise the value they bring and confidently amplify their impact within the organisation and beyond.”

At the event, which also featured the Deputy Chief Executive of Stanbic IBTC Bank Limited, Ms Bunmi Dayo-Olagunju, the leading African technology company reaffirmed its commitment to empowering women across its workforce and fostering an inclusive workplace culture.

In her presentation, which focused on Give to Gain – Give Value, Gain Visibility, Ms Dayo-Olagunju emphasised the importance of intentional value creation and visibility in shaping professional growth for women in the workplace.

Drawing from her experience in the financial services sector, she also shared perspectives on how women can intentionally position themselves for greater impact, build influence within their organisations, and translate consistent value delivery into meaningful professional growth.

It was gathered that Interswitch distributed customised care packages to female employees across its offices. The gesture served as a token of appreciation for the resilience, dedication, and excellence demonstrated daily by women across the organisation.

Beyond the session and care packages, Interswitch continues to support women across its workforce through a range of internal policies to promote well-being and work-life balance. These include access to top-notch creche facilities, a robust maternity leave policy, and an exclusive spousal allowance initiative, all of which reinforce the company’s broader commitment to creating a supportive environment where women can thrive both professionally and personally.

This year’s International Women’s Day initiative reflects Interswitch’s recognition of the vital role women play in shaping the company’s continued growth and success. Across technology, operations, product development, finance, and leadership, women within the organisation continue to drive innovation and strengthen service delivery.

Continue Reading

General

Eight Die as Terrorists Blow up Niger Bridge

Published

on

bomb niger bridge

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

A bridge connecting the Luma-Babana-Agwara communities in Niger State was destroyed by terrorists on Monday. The incident claimed the lives of eight people.

The bridge is a vital route used by residents travelling to the Babanna border market, which operates every Monday.

According to reports, the hoodlums used an improvised explosive device (IED) to bring down the facility located along Luma Road in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State.

The Chairman of Borgu Local Government, Mr Mohammed Nasir Abdullahi, who confirmed the attack, noted that authorities were working to verify the full extent of the damage.

“There was actually an attack by the bandits, and we are trying to verify the magnitude. A bridge was actually damaged. Already, we have sent people to the area to verify things for us,” Vanguard quoted him as saying.

It also quoted a source as saying, “In the early hours today, bandits stormed Borgu local government area of the state and bombed the Lunma-Babana bridge. Apart from bombing the bridge, the bandits also detonated bombs between Rafingiwa and Babana, and another at Woro and Kaiama, forcing residents to flee the area.”

Continue Reading

Trending