Food security: Farmers, herdsmen urged to co-exist peacefully

A lawmaker in Nasarawa State, Alhaji Mohammed Okpoku, has urged farmers and herdsmen in the country to co-exist peacefully to boost the nation’s economic development.

Okpoku (APC-Udege/Loko constituency at the Nasarawa State House of Assembly) made call on Wednesday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Nasarawa, Nasarawa Local Government Area of the state.

He underscored the need for farmers and herdsmen to embrace one another considering the fact that they complement each other in the country’s quest for sufficiency in food and livestock production.

“Obviously, one cannot run away from the fact that issue of kidnapping, robbery, theft, farmers/herdsmen crises, among other security challenges, had affected our lives and the socio-economic development of the country negatively.

“Of course, that has increased the issue of hunger in my constituency as many food and cash crops are nowhere to be found in my constituency because of clashes between farmers and herdsmen.

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“We thank Gov. Tanko Al-Makura, police, other security agencies and my people for curtailing the security challenges facing our area and for the restoration of peace, as peace is the necessary requirement for the development of any society,” he said.

Okpoku, who is the Chairman, House Committee on Works, advised farmers and herdsmen to always channel their grievances to the appropriate authorities for necessary action.

He commended his constituents for their continued support and promised to attract more development projects in order to impact positively on their lives.

“Everybody can testify to what I have done for the people of my constituency and I will do more in order to better their standard of living,” he added.

Besides, Okpoku urged Nigerians to be law abiding, respect constituted authorities and shun acts that are capable of causing breach of the peace.

The lawmaker also urged the people of the state to continue to support President Muhammadu Buhari and Al-Makura’s administrations to enable them succeed in the tasks ahead of them.