Nigerian Army to set up cattle ranches nationwide
(Nigeria) The Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Tukur Buratai has said that the Nigerian Army would be raising up cattle ranches in such a manner that in almost all the divisions, and all the brigades, cattle will be reared.
Buratai who was represented by the Chief of Army Logistics,
Major General Patrick Akem, stated this on Tuesday at the Commissioning of
Mogadishu Cantonment New Mammy Market (former Abacha Barracks), Abuja.
The Army Chief disclosed that in keeping up with modern
cattle rearing tradition, he sent officers of the Army to Argentina to look at
how cattle were reared.
"Argentina has a population of 41 million people, but
it feeds about 400 million people around the world with its beef.
“To take it to the next level, we want to adopt a system
where the cattle are not just free ranging coming from Sokoto to Port Harcourt,
thereby making their meat tough to eat, the products will soon be coming from
our own farms and ranches," Buratai said.
He noted that he has created the Barrack Investment
Initiative as platform that affords Army family members the opportunity of
raising up fishing ponds, vegetable gardens, fruits, livestock, chicken and
their eggs.
According to him, the intention of the Nigerian Army was not
just to secure the country, but to contribute in growing the economy of the
nation.
He added: "We want to tell our wives that they can live
beyond the salaries of their husbands, so we are trying to empower the women in
the barracks to be able to form co-operatives, so as to access loans and to a
large extent be able to fend for themselves and their families, even without
the salaries of their husbands.”
Meanwhile, the Commander Army Headquarters Garrison, Major
General John Malu said that the formidable shopping edifice had over 2000
shops, 27 warehouses and a printing press owned by the Nigerian Navy.
He added that the services of a reputable private security
firm was contracted to handle the security of the market.
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