President Bola Tinubu’s government, through the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, has commissioned a Milk Collection Centre with a daily capacity of 2,000 litres at the Sawi Grazing Reserve in the Adamami community, Shira Local Government Area of Bauchi State.
Naija News reports that the facility, initially rehabilitated and equipped by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development under its Livestock Directorate, will now be managed by L&Z Integrated Farms, a private investor.
Speaking during the inauguration, the Ministry’s Director of Livestock Development, Tagwi James, said the site was selected due to the significant daily milk deposits that could be harnessed in the area.
He explained that the project was part of the Federal Government’s renewed drive to boost local milk production and reduce dependence on imports.
James urged state governments to support the initiative by implementing livestock-related policies and programmes.
In his remark, the Managing Director of L&Z Integrated Farms, Muhammad Damakka Abubakar, stressed the need for Nigeria to scale up its dairy processing and production capacity.
He revealed that the country currently spends about $1.5bn annually on milk importation, a situation the Federal Government hopes to reverse through its livestock development policy and the establishment of the dedicated ministry.
“Improving milk aggregation and collection infrastructure is essential to achieving self-sufficiency in dairy production,” Abubakar said.
Local Government Pledges Support
During the event, the Chairman of Shira Local Government Council, Alhaji Babangida Maliya, pledged to ensure the facility’s success through enhanced security and community engagement.
He encouraged pastoralists to supply milk to the centre and called for greater emphasis on education for rural dwellers, especially women and girls, by discouraging farm activities that keep children out of school.
The District Head of Disina, Abdullahi Mustapha, lauded the Federal Government for the initiative, noting that it would encourage pastoralists to settle in one place, enabling their children to attend school.
He commended L&Z Integrated Farms for its role in the project and urged herders to make consistent milk supplies to sustain the facility.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of Miyetti Allah in Shira Local Government Area, Umar Muhammad Hassan, described the centre as a welcome development for the Fulani community, saying it would boost economic growth and improve livelihoods.
He pledged their commitment to supplying quality milk to the centre and appealed to the state government to establish a nomadic school in the community to ensure pastoralist children have access to formal education.
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