A Fulani herders association, the Kullen Allah Livestock Herders Association of Nigeria (KACRAN), congratulated the North East Development Commission (NEDC) to provide water points to herders in the difficult terrain of the region.

In a statement, KACRAN chairman Mohammed Khalil said he was pleased with the commission’s concern for the welfare of livestock in the northeast.

NEDC had built several boreholes along grazing roads in the area to ease the plight of herders and their animals.

“As a herders’ association that takes a keen interest in day-to-day events in the country, especially those that directly affect the livestock sector, and individually either commends or opposes what does not bode well for the country’s livestock, would like to thank and highly appreciate the North East Development Commission for its much applauded decision to provide watering holes to pastoralists in the North East”.

The statement also called on the Nigerian government to increase funding for the commission to enable it to carry out more worthy projects for the people.

The statement reads in part as follows:

“We at KACRAN, as the direct beneficiaries of the above water projects, are convinced that water scarcity is the major problem in animal production in most of the northern states of the country, which means that the supply of several water points by the Commission will put an end to the unnecessary suffering that our people have been facing for more than a hundred years due to the scarcity or lack of portable drinking water, which in some cases forces our people to migrate from from place to place in search of this one.

“A solution to Herder’s water problem is a solution to most of their problems because no matter how we are in the lean dry period if there is availability of water for our consumption and that of our animals , our problem is solved as our pastoral occupation is a concern.

“The Commission’s determination to end the persistent water problem makes us, the shepherds and our host communities, consider the NEDC a blessing for us, because in addition to providing water to our people, the Commission is also working diligently to bring several important social services to our doorsteps.

“Similarly, we would like to thank the Federal Government under the able leadership of His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari and the Honorable Members of our National Assemblies for establishing the Commission to steadily develop the much devastated region and passionately calling our capable and esteemed members to thoroughly assess and fully consider the many important responsibilities that the Commission bears upon its neck and, most importantly, to fund it adequately and release the money in time for it to achieve excellent performance.

“Our appeal is necessary because we have fully observed that the NEDC plays a vital role in alleviating the problem of insurgency and other social vices by providing timely and much needed assistance to victims of insurgency, as well as ‘by empowering and supporting them who are so helpful in building new hope in the minds of the victims affected by the insurgency.

“So this means that given the Commission, any administrative support and enough cash will allow it to continue moving in the right direction that will significantly reduce tension in the entire North East sub-region and its neighbours.

“At this juncture, we would like to thank Dr Muhammad Alkali, Director General of the Commission, and Alh Muhammad Jawa Gashua, the Administrative and Financial Executive Director, and all the hardworking staff of the Commission for their total commitment and sacrifices in order to embark on various development projects to promote the standard of living of the good people of the region and Nigerians by extension.

“In conclusion, on behalf of pastors in the North East sub-region and across the country, I want to call on the leadership of NEDC to continue their good work, as we, the beneficiaries of the fine policies and programs, stand ready to provide them with all the support and cooperation desired to enable them to achieve their objectives,” the statement read.