The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar-Maiha, has urged livestock traders and handlers to adopt modern practices, including proper animal identification, to curb livestock theft and strengthen the sector.
Mukhtar-Maiha made the call in Minna during the inspection and inauguration of an ultra-modern livestock market developed under the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support (L-PRES) Project.
The minister was in Niger State for a two-day working visit to assess L-PRES projects across the state.
He said every four-legged animal would be tagged with an ear identification device and registered in a computerised database containing details of its owner.
According to him, the system would also record changes in ownership whenever an animal was sold, making it possible to trace the animal and establish its ownership history.
He said animals without compulsory identification tags would not be permitted to travel, access modern abattoirs or be sold in designated livestock markets.
Mukhtar-Maiha said the Federal Government was committed to transforming livestock production into a sustainable and profitable enterprise.
He noted that the establishment of modern processing facilities would create increased demand for cattle, sheep and goats.
The minister directed that the livestock market should be provided with adequate water supply, feeding facilities, proper drainage and sanitation.
He stressed that animal welfare remained central to modern livestock management.
Mukhtar-Maiha said the ministry would also collaborate with relevant stakeholders to establish modern stalls and shops where young people could engage in livestock rearing and fattening.
He added that such facilities would create employment opportunities for youths.
Speaking at the event, Mustapha Jibrin-Alheri, Chairman of Chanchaga Local Government Area, described the project as a major boost to livestock traders in the area.
Jibrin-Alheri, represented by his Chief Protocol Officer, Muhammed Ibrahim, expressed concern over health risks associated with human-animal interaction and commended the L-PRES intervention.
He said the council monitored the project to ensure its timely completion, adding that the facility would provide livestock handlers with a safer and more conducive environment for their businesses.
He thanked President Bola Tinubu and Niger State Governor Umaru Bago for the facility, while appealing for additional shelters, rooms for traders and small slaughtering facilities to support the growing livestock business.
Also speaking, Muhammad Hadi-Garkuwa, Chairman of the Turaku Sheep and Goats Traders Union, described the market as a major breakthrough for livestock traders and a potential source of employment for youths.
Hadi-Garkuwa said people could earn a living from various activities within the market, including animal skinning, washing and the sale of ropes and other livestock-related materials.
He said traders already had measures in place to verify ownership before animals were offered for sale, adding that they welcomed the proposed digital identification system as an additional safeguard against livestock theft.
