LIVESTOCK MINISTRY LAMENTS NO CAPITAL FUNDING SINCE 2024

The Federal Ministry of Livestock Development has raised concerns over inadequate funding, saying it has not received capital releases since 2024, a situation that has slowed the implementation of several projects and programmes in the sector.

The ministry’s Director of Information and Public Relations, Henrietta Okokon, said the funding gap has affected planned activities despite the Federal Government’s growing focus on livestock as a potential driver of economic growth.

She called for increased funding to enable the ministry to implement its programmes effectively and unlock the sector’s potential in food production, employment, and economic development.

Despite the funding constraints, the ministry said it has continued to carry out interventions in different states. These include the distribution of 100 heifers each in Enugu and Delta states, alongside other interventions in Delta and Cross River.

The ministry also disclosed that the Federal Government has approved an expansion of its livestock interventions from 18 to 30 states, bringing all geopolitical zones into the programme.

The government is targeting an increase in the livestock sector’s economic contribution from about $32 billion to $74 billion by 2035, making adequate funding critical to achieving its development goals.