GORVERNOR SAMUEL ORTOM SAYS NO TO GRAZING LAND PROPOSAL BY THE FGN

Benue State government, in strong terms,  recently kicked against the moves by the Federal Government to establish grazing land for Fulani herdsmen as a way of ending crises between the herdsmen and farmers in the country.

The position of the state is that the establishment of ranches remained a lasting solution to the crisis.

 

This was reaffirmed on Sunday, in a statement issued on behalf of the government by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and ICT, Mr. Tahav Agerzua.

According to Mr. Tahav Agerzua, “Governor Samuel Ortom has reiterated overtime that the establishment of ranches remains the best global practice in animal husbandry that explains why there are no clashes between farmers and herders in countries that have domesticated the practice.
“It has become the generally acceptable practice, which necessitated the position of the government on the matter.”

He expressed surprise why Nigeria had not yet embraced the practice, maintaining that it would bring about a permanent solution to the unending clashes and effectively address the menace of herdsmen/farmers crisis.

 

He added further that it could be near impossible to convince any community to donate parcels of land for the purpose of creating grazing land for cattle rearers.

Ad interim, however, he said measures that would promote peaceful coexistence between farmers and herders must be promoted and infringement on the right of either party should be handled within the ambits of the law without resort to self help.