BREAKING NEWS, Politics
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The plateau state government has adopted creating ranches instead of grazing reserve to check the menace of pastoralists in the state
| By Anayo Ezugwu | Jul 25, 2016 @ 01:00 GMT |
AMIDST the outcry against establishing grazing reserves in Plateau, the state government has clarified that it was going to establish ranches instead to check the menace of pastoralists in the state. Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State confirmed this in Lagos, on Monday, July 11, that his government would build ranches for Fulani herdsmen in the state in line with the disposition of the federal government to create grazing reserves.
He said the ranches would serve as a means of growing livestock in the state and curb frequent clashes between farmers and herdsmen. Also, the governor said that his administration would exploit agriculture development in the state by providing incentives and sustaining the existing peace through efforts aimed at promoting good neighbourliness and tolerance, adding that residents of the state who came from diverse ethnic groups have been encouraged to live together in peace.
“What is on in Plateau is the policy on ranches, which is quite different from grazing reserves. Although all of them have been there a long time ago; grazing has been there and ranches have been there, owned by individuals and organisations, but the security problem we have across the nation and the need to diversify into agriculture make it is necessary for the production of livestock in large quantities. So you cannot leave that to only traditional grazing. That is why we introduced this policy of having ranches. The ranches are everybody’s business for growing livestock and not restricted to any ethnic group,” Lalong said.
“The people of Plateau state have been living together and shared a lot of things in common but unfortunately crisis started but we have been able to enthrone peace now. When we came in we gave everybody a sense of belonging and looked at the ways the people could live together in peace, looked at the submissions and ways to sustain peaceful co-existence in the state. We established Peace and Conflict Resolution Bureau, passed the law in the House of Assembly and have the agency on ground for the purpose of checking areas where there could be conflict and nip it in the bud.
“Even when the issue of grazing arose, it was the Peace and Conflict Resolution Bureau that went to sensitise people. That was why the crisis was short-lived and we have made it clear that we are going for ranches. We are now adopting ranches. We have done our consultations with all the critical stakeholders,” the governor said.
He said Sovereign Trust Insurance has been involved in numerous initiatives cutting across various platforms like sports, education, entertainment, health and so on. “We do not compromise our stance in giving back to the society when the need arises and we hope we can do more in the years ahead.”
The proposed grazing reserve sparked protest, bitter reactions and pitted the government against the former governor of the state. Youths in the state protested after federal government announced the state had donated land where a grazing reserve is proposed to be created. Protesters marching through Jos streets called it “land grabbing through grazing reserves.”
Senator Jonah Jang, former governor, now representing Plateau north in the Senate, called reserve as a subtle attempt to cede the people’s land and urged the citizens of the state to reject any law or request that seeks to tamper with their heritage. “Plateau people must rise against any subtle attempt to cede their land for the purpose of satisfying the selfish and egotistical whims of a few who are hell bent on disturbing the peace.
“For the federal government which owns no cattle connives with willing state governors to impose a grazing reserve policy on hapless citizens who have suffered the brunt of rampaging herdsmen in the no distant past is not only an abuse of their rights but an assault on their already battered psyche. This must vehemently be resisted,” he said.
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