By Sadiq Abubakar
Maiduguri
Chairman of the Borno state council of Livestock Dealers Association (LDA), Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar, has appealed to the Nigerian Army and other security agencies at the Chad and Cameroun borders to, as a matter of public importance, reopen all the borders or allow livestock importation into the state.
He also called on the federal government to intervene in providing them adequate security to enable them continue their normal life and businesses under a peaceful atmosphere in the state.
Mohammed made the appeal in Maiduguri yesterday, following the reopening of the Maiduguri Central Abattoir Market which was closed down by the state government few months ago for general renovation, rehabilitation, and fencing.
The chairman explained that since the Boko Haram insurgency started, businesses at the market were grounded, livestock dealers no longer get the right cattle and goats or rams to transact business or transport down to the south and east.
He added that the same thing goes with the butchers as they don’t get healthy and adequate livestock to slaughert for business resulting to hike in the cost of meat and beef as well as skin and hires business which most of to customers that patronize the market come from the south and east as well as neighbouring countries of Cameroon and Chad Republics.
According to him, the insurgency has drastically grounded businesses at the market and compelled most of the livestock dealers to relocate to neighbouring states of Adamawa, Taraba, Gombe and Yobe states to purchase healthy and better cows, sheep, goats and rams.
Alhaji Abubakar, however, solicited for the support and assistance of both the state and federal government to come to the aid of the livestock dealers and butchers as well as the labourers to lift the ban on the border closure.
He also urged the government to expedite efforts to repairs all the federal roads linking the borders to ease movement of heavy vehicles along the routes and enhance socio economic activities as well as boost revenue generation.
He noted that, allowing full activities to return with the provision of adequate security at the kasuwan Shanu and abattoir complex, were the best options for both the government and beneficiaries of the relative peace in the state.
