Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom has said that his state would not partake in the planned rehabilitation of grazing reserves.
Mr Ortom stated this on Tuesday in reaction to a statement by the Presidency that the Federal Government was planning to rehabilitate grazing reserves across the country as part of ways to solve the problem of open grazing.
In a statement by his chief press secretary Terver Akase, the governor said there is no land in the state that had been gazetted for grazing reserve, adding that the state had adopted ranching as the solution.
“In Benue, we have embraced ranching as the viable alternative to open grazing and there is no going back on our resolve,” he said.
“Our ranching law which prohibits open grazing is Benue people’s reaction to the incessant killings, and it is also an instrument of development. The law was enacted by representatives of the people in the Benue State House of Assembly, in exercise of its powers as provided for by Section 4 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended). Part 2 of the Second Schedule reinforces the power of the State House of Assembly providing that ‘a House of Assembly may make laws for the State with respect to industrial, commercial or agricultural development.’ The Law followed due process with public hearings and requisite opportunity for all stakeholders making input.”
The governor said that while the state may not stop the Federal Government’s plan to rehabilitate grazing reserves or create cattle routes in other states, “We wish to make it clear that no land in Benue State has been gazetted for grazing routes, grazing reserves, cattle colonies, and Ruga settlements.
“Benue is, therefore, not part of the grazing reserves rehabilitation programme of the Federal Government.”
