Aondoakaa Advocates Private Sector-led Ranching, Backs State Police

The 2027 Governorship Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue State, Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa (SAN), has called for a private sector-driven approach to ranching in Nigeria, arguing that government should create the enabling environment while livestock businesses are left to private investors.

Chief Aondoakaa said a government-owned ranching model could create confusion and deepen suspicion among farmers and communities, stressing that livestock production is fundamentally a private business.

Speaking in an interview, the PDP gubernatorial contender also backed the establishment of State Police and offered recommendations on how to prevent its abuse.

On ranching, the former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice said the Federal Government should support the sector through improved cattle breeds, affordable financing, fodder production, irrigation and other infrastructure rather than directly establishing ranches for private livestock owners.

“The livestock owners are private businessmen engaging in farming activities of livestock. There will be a disconnect and there will be confusion because the ranches are established by government and then they are to service private sector holders of cattle,” he said.

Drawing from his experience in Nigeria’s rice sector, Aondoakaa said the Federal Government could replicate the model used to stimulate investment in rice production by providing financing and creating the right conditions for private businesses to thrive.

“My understanding is that ranching should be done in the way the rice and wheat value chain was created. Government should create the environment and allow private investors to drive the business,” he said.

He also emphasised the need for genetic improvement of Nigeria’s cattle breeds, arguing that improved breeds would make ranching commercially viable through higher milk and meat yields.

According to him, affordable financing would also be critical to enabling livestock entrepreneurs to invest in modern ranching.

“First, let us crossbreed the cattle that we have now so that they can give sufficient milk for commercial trading. Then allow them to borrow at interest rates below five per cent and approach ranching as a private sector business,” he stated.

Aondoakaa said ranching could also create a new economic relationship between livestock owners and crop farmers, with farmers producing specialised grass and other feed for commercial ranches.

He noted that such an arrangement could create additional income for farmers while providing ranch operators with a reliable supply of animal feed.

The PDP governorship candidate in Benue State further argued that private sector-led ranching would help reduce fears surrounding the Federal Government’s ranching initiative, particularly concerns about possible land grabbing.

He advocated voluntary commercial arrangements in which private livestock owners acquire or lease land and enter into mutually beneficial agreements with host communities.

“If a private sector comes as an individual and says, give me 100 hectares of land… I want to put my cows there, and can you help me farm for it? This can be a mutual understanding between the farmers and the owner of the cows,” he explained.

Aondoakaa maintained that livestock is only one component of Nigeria’s agricultural economy and warned against treating it as a special public-sector enterprise while other agricultural sectors remain predominantly private.

“If we now decide to say let us take one aspect of farming and make it a public sector issue, then there will be more agitation by the farmers across the country,” he cautioned.

On State Police, Aondoakaa endorsed the initiative, describing it as a necessary response to the enormous security challenges confronting the country.

He recalled that State Police was proposed during the constitutional reform process under the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua in 2009 but could not be implemented at the time.

“State police is an idea that in 2009, during the first constitutional reforms which we did under President Yar’Adua. We introduced it because of the enormous challenges facing the federal police in policing the country,” he said.

He commended the administration of President Bola Tinubu for advancing the initiative, describing it as “a very good thing.”

Aondoakaa, however, stressed the need for strong safeguards to prevent political abuse of State Police, particularly in recruitment, arms procurement and oversight.

He said recruitment must be insulated from political influence to prevent politicians from using State Police formations to accommodate political thugs.

“The issue of recruitment must be handled in a manner that politicians are not allowed to come in and bring people who are not worthy to be police officers,” he stated.

He also cautioned against allowing individual states to independently procure arms and security equipment from the international market.

“There should be a level of control. It will be a lot of confusion if the entire 36 states go to the market and import arms for their state police,” he said.

The former Justice Minister suggested that the procurement of arms and other security equipment should be regulated through a federal framework, possibly involving the Office of the National Security Adviser.

Despite the potential challenges, Aondoakaa described State Police as “a laudable project” capable of strengthening security across the federation if properly implemented.

He also called for stronger judicial oversight at the local level, arguing that magistrates who may interact closely with State Police operations should have sufficient independence to perform their roles effectively.