Cattle dealers finger FG in collapse of rail movement of products from North to South
Contrary to earlier speculation by the federal government that the rails have been put in place to move thousands of cattles from the North to the Lagos and other parts of the country, the scheme has stopped and cattle dealers went back to the outdated mode of moving products on roads with high causalities.
A train carrying 500 cows in its 15 wagons left Gusau for Lagos shortly after the flag off of the scheme that was greeted with fanfare at that time. The scheme has stopped six months after the flag off.
Explaining more on the reasons for the stoppage, Chairman of the Cattle Dealers Association of Nigeria in Zamfara state, Alhaji Aminu Garba Gusau has blamed government for the attributed the stoppage of Gusau to Lagos cattle transportation by rail to ‘selfishness and insincerity’ of government, stakeholders and organizers of the programme.
He said “We met with various stakeholders in Zaria, Abuja and Lagos. We were asked to gather cows for conveyance to Lagos and after we had done that the train didn’t show up. We lost our capitals to feeding and taking care of the animals.
Though the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) that initiated the scheme confirmed that the cattle movement by rail has been suspended, the agency did not give any reason, thus giving credence to the allegations of cattle dealers.
The Gusau train station where cattle were transported to Lagos by rail in September 2016, but the site is virtually empty and deserted.
Explaining more on how the rail transportation deal failed to continue, Gusau said “We met with various stakeholders in Zaria, Abuja and Lagos. We were asked to gather cows for conveyance to Lagos and after we had done that the train didn’t show up. We lost our capitals to feeding and taking care of the animals”.
“We gathered the animals ready for transportation but were disappointed because the train never came back again. We wrote to the Director Operations of the Nigeria Railway in Zaria up till now there is no positive response.
“Later we were asked to increase the transportation fares for each coach by the consultant of the programme. We had earlier paid N90,000 for each coach carrying about 30 cows. We agreed to pay N105,000 for each coach but the train hasn’t returned again.
“They are not sincere about the programme they launched it to achieve a selfish agenda and after that has been done they felt they have nothing to do with us again. We are calling on the president to look into the matter since this government is determined to diversify the economy.”
A train carrying 500 cows in its 15 wagons left Gusau for Lagos shortly after the flag off of the scheme that was greeted with fanfare at that time. The scheme has stopped six months after the flag off.
