The Federal Government has said veterinary professionals have a critical role to play in the realization of the present administration’s agenda on food security, wealth creation, employment generation, and national resilience.
Permanent Secretary, Service Policies and Strategies, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mr. Ishiyaku Mohammed, stated this at the opening of a two-day veterinary leadership summit on Thursday in Abuja meant to find lasting solutions to the challenges confronting Nigeria’s livestock sub-sector.
Mohammed reminded participants that this responsibility rests squarely on their shoulders as professionals, stressing that the success of livestock development initiatives depends largely on their expertise and commitment.
According to him, the Tinubu administration created a separate Ministry of Livestock Development to mitigate the effects of climate change, rising temperatures, desertification, changing rainfall patterns, flooding, and increased competition over natural resources, factors that are significantly altering livestock production systems.
The Permanent Secretary further stated that the Federal Government has set an achievable target of increasing the livestock sector’s contribution to the Gross Domestic Product from the current 32 billion dollars to 74 billion dollars by the year 2035.
He maintained that this target cannot be achieved if the country continues to lose animals to preventable diseases and inefficient production systems.
Mohammed assured that the Federal Government will continue to collaborate closely with professional bodies to ensure that public policies are guided by expert knowledge and aligned with global best practices.
In his welcome address, the President of the Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association, NVMA, and the organiser of the summit, Dr. Moses Arokoyo, said the annual summit is deliberately structured to promote diversity, equity, and inclusiveness, while ensuring that women and young professionals from all regions are empowered to contribute meaningfully to national animal health outcomes.
Arokoyo expressed optimism that the outcome of the two-day summit would strengthen livestock systems, not only in Nigeria but globally.
He noted that disease burden, weak service delivery systems, climate pressures, insecurity, and inequitable access to veterinary services continue to limit the sector’s full potential.
Stakeholders in the livestock sub-sector, including the Veterinary Council of Nigeria, in their separate goodwill messages, emphasized the need for veterinary professionals to work together to complement the Federal Government’s drive for sustainable livestock development.
Representing the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Sabi Abdullahi, a renowned veterinarian, Dr Lami Lombin commended the leadership of NVMA as he informed the gathering that efforts are in progress to harmonize the veterinary surgeon act and the para animal health professional through a bill .
She challenged veterinarians to rise to the occasion,support themselves in diverse and ensure that the flag of the profession is maintained and raise high
Also, Thembinkosi Ramuthivheli, a Business Development and Engagement Manager and Edith Moroti, Associate Director, Outreach & Partnerships of GALVmed called on veterinarians to fight animal diseases burden in nigeria .The duo called for effective collaboration among the professionals to ensure rapid growth in the industry.
The President of Veterinary Council of Nigeria, Professor Matthew Adamu emphasized the need to give Arokoyo another chance to lead the veterinarians to the promise land as he maintained that is tenure as transformed the profession in the last two years.
He called on states chapter of the NVMA to work assiduously and support the association in the interest of the profession