The Mandate Secretary for the Agriculture and Rural
Development Secretariat , Malam Abubakar Ibrahim, made this known on Sunday
while briefing newsmen following the successful removal of illegal structures
and businesses at the Kugbo livestock market.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the FCTA on
Saturday demolished illegal mechanic workshops constructed on the land
earmarked for livestock market at Kugbo on Abuja-Nyanya- Keffi Expressway.
Mr Ikharo Attah, the Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister,
on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement who led the demolition, explained
that the exercise was necessitated by complaints received from the FCT
Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat.
Ibrahim said that the activities of illegal squatters and
businesses at the Kugbo market had for long constituted incumberances to
efforts of the secretariat to organised the market for conduct of Livestock
business.
“You are very much aware that the secretariat has for so
long found it difficult to remove the illegal structures.
“We must thank the FCT Taskforce headed by Mr Ikharo Attah
for the success recorded. The secretariat will be able to add value to the
operations in the market.”
The secretary said that the secretariat would immediately
take possession of the land to ensure that the illegal operators do not return
to the site.
“Going forward I have directed the Animal Husbandry
Department to take full possession of the land while we also take census of the
livestock dealers that are currently operating there.
“The secretariat is determined to have a market that was
all-inclusive with clearly delineated areas for different livestock value chain
activities in line with global best practices.
“Our doors will be open to interested private companies to
come in the areas of conversion of waste to energy, milk production and other
value addition projects,” he said.
The secretary appealed to dealers of livestock who might
want to take advantage of the Eid-el-Kabir festive period to make brisk
business to avoid putting up illegal markets.
He warned that the taskforce has the mandate of the FCT
Administration to not only confiscate the animals on sale but prosecute
defaulters.
“Ignorance of the law is not an excuse. We have held series
of meetings with officials of livestock dealers in FCT on the need to call
their members to order.
” We equally are appealing to residents to only patronise
officially designated Livestock markets where we can guarantee the source of
livestock to avoid buying stolen animals.” (NAN)