The Benue State Government is to conduct a census of livestocks and their owners in the state as part of effort to end the ceaseless farmers/herders clashes and other forms of criminality in the state.

The Principal Special Assistant, PSA, to the State Governor on Livestock Development and Transboundary Animal Disease Control, Dr. Aondoakaa Asambe made this known Monday after undertaking an assessment tour of abattoirs and livestocks markets in Makurdi.

He stated that Governor Hyacinth Alia had already put measures in places to turn around the livestock sector assuring that alot was being done to end the clashes in the state.

He said “in the short term, our plans are to conduct the census, register livestock farmers, hatcheries, feed mills with the sole target of first meeting up with the local consumption demands.”

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According to him accurate data of livestocks in the state would not only help in ending the farmers/herders clashes, cattle rustling, and other related crimes, but would also help the government meet the expectations of the people in the sector.

He said “conducting livestocks census or animals census come with a whole lot of benefits. The major one being that it helps to control the incessant clashes between farmers and herders that we have been having in the state.

“It will also control animal rustling. By the time animals census is conducted, we will be able to trace all animals to their owners because they will all have tags. All animals coming to abattoirs must also have tags so in this case crime will be reduced within the industry to the barest minimum.”

Dr. Asambe pointed out that the tour had exposed the fact that all the abattoirs within Makurdi town failed to meet the minimum standard required in the sector assuring that the Governor Alia-led administration would ensure a change.

Receiving the team at the Wurukum Abattoir, Chairman of Meat Shops Owners Association, Makurdi branch, Mr Austin Ugwu, who noted the challenges they were facing in the sector urged the government to provide them water, access road and good working environment to carry out their businesses.