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Oyo: Hausa cattle rearers, butchers raise fresh alarm, say relocation of butchers to Amosun will ignite fresh crisis
Butchers from the 11 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and 14 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs), in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital have raised an alarm that relocation of all butchers in Ibadan to Amosun village housed by Akinyele LGA will ignite fresh crisis between them and the Hausa cattle rearers in the state.
The butchers while addressing journalists last Thursday at a press conference held in collaboration with Veteran Organization for Human Rights Initiative (VOHRI) in Ibadan, observed that the purported relocation would cause more harm than good if allowed to see the light of the day.
According to the Chairman of National Union of Butchers (NUB), Aare Latosa LCDA, Alhaji Ganiyu Olobo and his colleagues from Egbeda Local Government Area, Alhaji Mukaila Otedola; Ibadan North LGA, Mr. Kehinde Oladejo; Ido LCDA, Mr. Alidu Tajudeen; Akinyeke LGA, Alhaji Oroyinyin Adeleke; Ibadan South West, Mr. Adebayo Wasiu and Mr. Sheriff Iyanda who spoke on behalf of their colleagues hinted that Amosun village is very close to Akinyele town where a large number of Hausa cattle rearers settled.
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They warned that the closeness of the the two, Akinyele town and Amosun village will lead to fresh crisis among the butchers and Hausa cattle rearers.
The butchers while urging Governor Abiola Ajimobi of the state to prevail on the matter and allow butchers to continue with their businesses in their various locations, disclosed that it was year 2000 clash between the butchers and the Hausa cattle traders that made the former Governor, late Alhaji Lam Adesina to relocate the Hausa cattle rearers to Akinyele town.
They noted that the relocation which is being championed by some elements in the union in connection with a private firm will ignite fresh crisis due to the closeness of Akinyele and Amosun, the proposed abattoir.
“The proposed abattoir at Amosun village is close to Akinyele town where a large number of Hausa cattle rearers have settled. It was the killing arising from the clash between butchers and Hausa cattle traders in 2000 that made late Alhaji Lam Adesina to relocate the Hausa cattle traders to Akinyele town.
“This illegal relocation order given to the butchers will ignite fresh crisis. This is a bad omen and a security threat to the state, especially when electioneering period is at hand”, they said.
The butchers, who described the purported relocation as handiwork of some elements who are using the name of the state governor to coerce butchers in Ibadan stressed that Ajimobi during their meeting with him gave an order that butchers are free to operate anywhere that is convenient for them.
They added they were surprised that some leaders and the private firm are now forcing the butchers in Ibadan to relocate to Amosun village, the order they said was in contrary to the agreement reached with the governor.
They added that apart from security threat and untold hardship the relocation will cause, many youths and many traders will loose their sources of income due to the distance of the village to other areas.
“Many other petty traders who receive their livelihood because of the presence of the butchers in their locality will definitely lose their job and source of livelihood. It should be noted that a good number of youths are employed at the various local government abattoir and this brings employment and source of income to them. Relocation will cause unemployment and by extension youth restiveness.
“As a result of unfavorably location of the Amosun village abattoir, there will be increase in brigand robber, kidnapping and serious threat to life of both the butchers and buyers. The buyers would have to go extra miles before procuring beef, transport fee will increase and price of beef will also increase forcing untold hardship to the buyers.
“It will therefore unspeakable, unconstitutional and illegal for a group of people to arrogate to themselves what do not belong to them hijacking the function of a local government and by extension function of the state government to build a private abattoir in partnership with corrupt members of the National Union of Butchers, Ibadan chapter and later used the good name of our governor to make a relocation orders concerning other members of the butchers to go to Amosun village.
“We therefore appeal that this illegal order should quashed”.
VOHRI Lead Activist, Comrade Sakirullah Ayobami and General Secretary, Comrade Adekunle Abimbola while speaking noted that though private ownership of abattoir is allowed, coercion of butchers to move to the village is illegal.
VOHRI said , “Building of slaughter houses, slabs is one of the functions of local government. Private owned abattoir is allowed but coercion of butchers to operate in a privately owned abattoir is illegal and unconstitutional and runs contrary to the fourth schedule 1 (e) of the local government functions.
“It is constitutional for each local government to establish abattoir”.
They added that “Relocation order was a verbal expression and did not come from the state government but evil machinations of some disgruntled elements.
“Consequent upon intimidation, anxiety, serious threat to life and violation of the fundermantal human rights of the butchers in Ibadan occasioned by the fake relocation order issued by the aggrieved members of butchers in persons of Alhaji Azeez Alagunfon, Biliaminu Eleshimeta, Kehnide Tewogbade, Fatal Alagunfon, Alhaji Saliu, Alhaji Latest Adegoke and others.
“We are therefore appealing to you sir to use your good office to investigate thoroughly for justice to be earned. The action of the above-mentioned runs contrary to the fundermantal rights of the people by virtue of section 33, 34,36,39 and 40 of the constitution of Nigeria, 2010 as amended.
“This illegal partnership with the owner of abattoir at Amosun village which resulted in the blanket order given to butchers in all the eleven local government in Ibadan to relocate is an aberration of the fourth schedule 1 (e) of functions of local government”.
The headquarters of Heritage Bank at Victoria Island, Lagos, was besieged on Thursday by members of the labour union, protesting the recent dismissal of 1,000 support workers.
The National President of the National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees, Comrade Anthony Abakpa, led the demonstration, condemning the bank’s management for what he deemed a lack of adherence to due process in the termination of employment contracts.
Speaking during the protest, Comrade Abakpa asserted that the leadership of Heritage Bank failed to follow established protocols before executing the mass layoffs.
He emphasised the union’s commitment to pursuing justice for the affected workers, vowing to escalate their demands until the bank’s management rectifies the situation.
“We will intensify our demands for justice,” declared Comrade Abakpa, urging the bank’s management to take corrective action to address the grievances of the dismissed workers.
The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Olayemi Cardoso, clarified that Nigeria is not utilising its foreign reserves to bolster the naira, despite recent fluctuations in reserve levels.
Speaking from Washington DC, where he is attending the International Monetary Fund-World Bank Spring Meetings, Cardoso highlighted the influx of $600 million into Nigeria’s reserves account within the past two days.
While the naira has experienced a notable appreciation against the dollar in recent weeks, climbing over 40% from approximately N1,900/$ to about N1,000/$1, Nigeria’s foreign reserves have been dwindling. As of April 15, reserves dropped to approximately $32.29 billion, marking the lowest level in over six years.
Cardoso emphasised that the shifts in reserves are typical for any country, where various financial obligations, such as debt repayments, necessitate withdrawals.
He stated, “What you’ve seen with respect to the shift in our reserves is normal in any country’s reserves where, for example, debts are due and certain payments need to be made. They are made because that is also part of keeping your credibility.”
Continuing, Cardoso underscored the dynamic nature of the market, advocating for a system driven by willing buyers, willing sellers, and price discovery.
He emphasised, “The shift in our reserves has really little or nothing to do with defending the naira, and that is certainly not our objective.”
Dangote Petroleum Refinery has made headlines by announcing a further reduction in the price of diesel, dropping it from ₦1200 to ₦1000 naira per litre.
The refinery’s decision comes on the heels of its recent supply at a significantly reduced price of ₦1200 per litre, which was introduced three weeks ago, signifying a remarkable 30 per cent decrease from the previous market price of approximately ₦1600 per litre.
This substantial reduction in diesel prices at Dangote Petroleum Refinery is expected to reiterate positively throughout various sectors of the economy, potentially serving as a catalyst in alleviating the persistently high inflation rate in the country.
In a statement last week, Aliko Dangote, Africa’s wealthiest individual and the owner of the refinery, expressed his optimism regarding the potential impact of the price reduction on inflation in Nigeria.
“I believe that we are on the right track. I believe Nigerians have been patient, and I also believe that a lot of goodies will now come through. There’s quite a lot of improvement because if you look at it, one of the major issues that we’ve had was the naira devaluation that has gone very aggressively up to about ₦1900,” he remarked.
As anticipation builds around the implications of this move by Dangote Petroleum Refinery, stakeholders and consumers alike remain hopeful for the positive effects it could bring to the Nigerian economy in the coming months.
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