Gov Ortom Insists No RUGA, No Grazing Route In Benue State

By Ayodele Oni

The Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has clarified that the position of the state on land allocation for grazing remained unchanged.

The Governor was reacting to the  listing of the State among 25 others that had applied for fund under the Federal Government Livestock Programme.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Nathaniel Ikyur, stated that “It is on record that Governor Ortom has rejected all manner of coinage from the Federal Government in a bid to grab land from Benue State.

“When the Federal Government toyed with so many ideas, ranging from Open Grazing, Grazing Reserves, Grazing Routes, Cattle Colony, RUGA and lastly Farm Centres in the 109 Senatorial Districts across the country in a very suspicious manner, Governor Ortom rose up and opposed it.

“He rejected any of such policies being imposed  on Benue. He has not shifted from that position.

“The Benue State Government only accepted to key into the National Livestock Transformation Program (NLTP) because the National Economic Council (NEC), which has the 36 state governors as members, approved the National Livestock Transformation Plan which after series of engagement incorporated suggestions by stakeholders from the State.

“The NLTP provides that States are at liberty to adopt and implement  aspects of the plan that suit its peculiarities.

“Unfortunately, the Presidency rejected this, but would rather continue to dribble Nigerians.

“For us in Benue State, our peculiarities are that we have a ranching law and in the area of Livestock farming, our competetive advantages include indigenous cattle, piggery, goats and fisheries etc.

“All these have been captured in the Plan and Benue State has accepted the implementation of the Plan based on these conditions.

“Benue State has continued to reject the establishment of Cattle Colonies, Rural Grazing Area (RUGA) settlements and Grazing Reserves or any other form of coinage previously proposed by the Federal Government allegedly to curb farmers-herders’ clashes across the country because it had every tendency of subterranean plots to undermine the safety and lives of the indigenous people of the State.

“Benue State’s  position has therefore not changed.”