An NGO, Fulbe Development and Cultural Organisation (FUDECO), has advocated for quality education and better healthcare system for nomadic children.
The NGO said like any other person in the country, nomads deserved to be treated with respect.
The Chairman of FUDECO in Kaduna State, Dr. Nafisa Dahiru Muhammad, while speaking at the Annual General Meeting of the group with the theme: “Promoting Unity and Educational Reorientation among Pastoralist Communities”, described as unfortunate that majority of nomads had been abandoned.
She called on the government at all levels to provide social amenities to them, adding that, “They need to be educated to be good citizens of this country. Their children deserve quality education, healthcare and other social amenities, but as it is now, they have no voice.”
Also, the founding Chairman FUDECO, Prof. Sarli Sardou Nana, said the main focus of the group was to change the fortunes of pastoralists, adding that they had so far successfully engaged several ardos and herders to work together to assist the nomads.
He said 11 state chapters: Sokoto, Borno, Plateau, Bauchi, Taraba, Kano, Nasarawa, Yobe, Adamawa, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Kaduna, had been established to look into ways of promoting a positive image for the Fulani across the country.
According to him, FUDECO’s engagement with various stakeholders such as political, religious, academic and traditional leaders has been successful and is ongoing.