BREAKING NEWS: Rivers moves to avert farmer-herder crisis, warns contractors

A file copy of the Secretary to Rivers State Government, Prof. Ibibia Worika

 The Rivers State Government has inaugurated a committee to curb clashes between farmers and herders across the state.

This comes as the government threatened to terminate jobs given to waste contractors, following what it described as the poor response to refuse evacuation across the state.

The Secretary to the State Government, Prof Ibibia Worika, speaking during the inauguration of the committee in Port Harcourt on Thursday, said that though agriculture remained a cornerstone of Nigeria’s economy, conflicts within the sector, especially among farmers and herders, had resulted in loss of lives, displacement and disruption of economic activities.

In a statement issued by the Head, Press Unit in the Office of the Secretary to the State Government, Juliana Masi, and sent to newsmen, Prof Worika, who is also the chairman of the committee, said the Sole Administrator, Vice Adm Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), was determined to foster dialogue, promote justice and ensure the peaceful coexistence of all inhabitants.

He stated, “This farmers and herders committee has, therefore, been constituted as a proactive measure to, amongst others, identify and address early warning signs of tension between farmers and herders across the state, mediate and resolve disputes amicably through community-based, non-violent mechanisms and ensure that grazing and farming activities are conducted within the bounds of law and environmental sustainability.”

It asked the committee, which also has the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Maurice Ogolo, as secretary, to act with wisdom, fairness, and diligence.

The government, in a statement by the Senior Special Adviser on Media to the Sole Administrator, Hector Igbikiowubo, also lamented the increase in refuse and the hazard such conditions posed to the health of citizens and residents.

“Contractors who fail to meet their contractual obligations in evacuating refuse promptly and efficiently will have their agreements revoked with extreme prejudice.

“This decisive action underscores the administration’s commitment to maintaining a clean, healthy, and aesthetically pleasing environment for all residents,” the statement read..

The government announced that it had reactivated an abandoned burrow pit to serve as an additional waste disposal site in the state.

“Additionally, steps are being taken to upgrade the burrow pit along the Airport Access Road, in ensuring better waste management capacity and operational efficiency,” the statement added.