Bauchi Governor Suspends Livestock Right-of-Way Policy

On Tuesday, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State ordered the immediate suspension of the enforcement of the state’s livestock right-of-way policy. This decision was made during a stakeholders’ meeting at the Government House in Bauchi, where concerns regarding the policy's implementation were discussed.

The livestock right-of-way policy was introduced to mitigate clashes between crop farmers and livestock farmers, particularly during the farming season, and includes provisions for cattle routes. Governor Bala expressed concerns about the use of chemicals in clearing livestock routes, warning that such practices could harm animals and defeat the policy's purpose.

He noted that the enforcement was poorly timed, coinciding with the harvest period, which could lead to losses for farmers. The governor accepted responsibility for the shortcomings in the policy's implementation, particularly criticizing the Ministry of Agriculture and the Bauchi State Agricultural Development Programme (BASDP) for inadequate communication with stakeholders prior to enforcement.