Livestock Minister Wraps Up Plateau Visit, Rallies Stakeholders for Peacebuilding, Sector Growth

The Honourable Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, has rounded off a strategic three-day working visit to Plateau State with renewed commitment to revamp key institutions, foster public-private partnerships, and drive a national livestock transformation agenda in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda.

The visit, which began with a high-level engagement at the Plateau State Government House and a field tour of the Wase Livestock Village, culminated on Day Three with an inspection of the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI) in Vom, an interactive stakeholder session in Mangu, and a visit to the historic Milky Way Dairy Farm in Bokkos.

At the NVRI Vom, the Honourable Minister was received by the representative of the Director/Chief Executive, Dr. Nicholas Nwankpa, who described the visit as timely and critical to repositioning the livestock sector.

Dr. Nwankpa highlighted three priority areas for urgent intervention - upscaling vaccine production, modernising infrastructure, and enhancing mechanised livestock production.

He commended the Federal Government’s initiatives, particularly the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (LPRESS), the Livestock Asset Plan, and youth-focused interventions, reaffirming NVRI’s commitment to supporting the Ministry’s vision for a diversified and resilient livestock economy.

Responding, Maiha lauded NVRI’s century-long legacy and recognised the Institute’s pivotal role in disease surveillance, vaccine production, and livestock research.

While expressing concern over its aged equipment and infrastructure, the Minister pledged the Federal Government's support to reposition NVRI as a continental leader in veterinary innovation.

He announced plans to restructure and commercialise the institute for market relevance, create disease-free zones, and adopt a polio-eradication-style template for national disease surveillance.

The Minister reaffirmed NVRI’s central role in achieving the Federal Government’s target of producing 1.2 billion vaccine doses annually and driving the eradication of PPR by 2030, in partnership with ECOWAS and the African Union.

“NVRI must rise as the epicentre of livestock health solutions, not just for Nigeria, but for the entire West African subregion. We must rejuvenate this national asset. The equipment may be outdated, but the human capacity and commitment here are world-class," he stated.

From Vom, the Minister proceeded to Mangu Local Government Area, where he engaged directly with livestock farmers, traditional leaders, and local authorities, urging them to key into ongoing federal initiatives such as the Wase Livestock Village, which he said is designed to improve livelihoods, promote peace, food security and serve as a model for turning grazing reserves into fully functional economic hubs.

"The Federal Government is introducing innovative models like the Wase Livestock Village to improve livelihoods, promote peace, and drive community development. These hubs will be equipped with modern infrastructure to support breeding, processing, and marketing.

“I urge you to key into these initiatives. Your participation and support are crucial as these interventions present a lifeline to end poverty, reduce conflict, and empower our farming population,” Maiha said.

Chairman of Mangu LGA, Emmanuel Bala Mwolpun, expressed optimism over the new policy direction, noting the enormous potential for transforming local agricultural practices.

He called on the people of Mangu to embrace livestock farming as a viable economic alternative and pledged community support for the Ministry’s initiatives.

"I urge the people of Mangu Local Government to embrace this policy wholeheartedly. It holds the potential to lift our communities out of poverty and significantly reduce the recurring clashes between herders and farmers,” he stated.

The final stop was the Milky Way Dairy Farm in Bokkos, once a flagship dairy project established in 1967. Despite its enormous potential, with 500 hectares of pasture land, a dam for irrigation, and processing facilities, the farm has suffered years of neglect.

The Minister, accompanied by Plateau State’s Commissioners of Livestock Development, Veterinary Services and Fisheries, Dr. Sunday Akpa, and his counterpart in the Ministry of Agriculture, Samson Ishaku Bugama, expressed dismay at the abandonment but optimism about its revival.

“This facility can host 200 high-yielding dairy cows and drastically reduce our $1.5 billion dairy import bill,” the Minister noted. “We must inject life into this asset, restore its operations, and use it to empower youth, enhance nutrition, and grow the local economy. Bokkos Milky Way must work.”

Over the course of three days, Hon. Maiha visited key institutions, launched a pilot grazing reserve in Wase, engaged with farmers, and assessed critical facilities—all underpinned by a strong message of renewal, investment, and collaboration.

Reaffirming the Ministry's dedication to the Renewed Hope Agenda, Maiha assured Nigerians that the ongoing transformation in the livestock sector will leave no species behind; from the honeybee to the camel, all will benefit.

"Every grazing reserve must become an engine of growth. And every farmer must be empowered to thrive. That is our promise, and together, we shall deliver,” Maiha affirmed.

Oghenekevwe Uchechukwu
Press and Public Relations Department
3rd May, 2025