The National Economic Council has proposed a budget of a 100 billion Naira for the implementation of the National Livestock Transformation Plan.

Chairman of the Sub-Committee on farmer herders crisis, Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi told State House Correspondents that it was agreed that the Federal Government would bear 80 percent of the amount while participating states would support with N20 billion and provision of lands for the programme.

He reiterated that states are free to use any animal of their choice in the implementation of the programme and that a date for the effective take off of the programme will be decided at its next meeting in October.

The Edo state Governor says Nigeria has so far lost 1.3 billion Dollars worth of crude oil to theft and pipeline vandalism in the first quarter of 2019.

Mr. Obaseki who chairs a thirteen-man NEC Sub-Committee mandated to investigate the impact of the attacks on oil installations in the creeks of the Niger Delta, warned that from the committee’s findings, the nation stands to lose as much as 2.7 billion Dollars by the end of the year if the situation is not urgently checked.

The Edo Governor disclosed a number of recommendations by the Council to include the need to restructure the maintenance and ownership of pipelines in the country, prosecution of criminals and creation of special court to handle the cases.

The committee according to him also recommended that the NNPC work with the National Intelligence Agency to track countries benefiting from the stolen crude oil.

The Council, he says, has resolved to submit the recommendations to President Muhammadu Buhari.

At a separate briefing, the Inspector-General of police, Mohammed Adamu declared that there a drastic reduction in the spate of kidnapping, banditry and cultism in the country compared with the last quarter. (Channels TV)