President Muhammadu Buhari has suspended the `Ruga Settlement’ Programme initiated by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture in preference for the National Economic Council (NEC)’s National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP).
Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi disclosed this on Wednesday while briefing State House correspondents after a meeting of the NEC Committee of Farmers/Herders Crisis Chaired by the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
`Ruga Settlement’ is a rural settlement in which animal farmers/herders stay in an designated place provided with basic amenities such as schools, hospitals, road networks, vet clinics, markets among others.
However, the initiative has elicited nationwide controversy.
Umahi said that the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP) would be all inclusive, adding that it was for states that were willing to key into the programme.
“We, the NEC Committee on Farmers/Herders Crisis under the Chairmanship of the Vice President, met today to deliberate on the approved programme of the NEC and Federal Government tagged, NLTP.
“We are aware that the president has suspended the implementation of `Ruga’ Programme initiated and being implemented by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
“This is because it is not consistent with the NEC and Federal Government’s approved NLTP.
“NLTP has programmes of rehabilitation of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) resulting from the crisis and also development of ranching in any willing state of the federation; the word is willing state of the federation.
“Its beauty is that what NEC and the Federal Government approved is a voluntary programme to all the 36 states which may like to participate.
“So, it is not compulsory; it is for any state that is willing, will key into the programme,’’ he said.
The governor said that any state interested in the programme was required to bring up a development plan that was keyed towards the implementation in line with the Federal Government’s own programme.
According to Umahi, each willing state is expected to come up with a plan unique to it based on the challenges that it has in respect of the farmers/herders crisis.
Present at the meeting were governors of Kebbi and Plateau States, the Deputy Governor of Adamawa State, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Secretary of the Technical Sub-Committee of Farmers/Herders Crisis.
The suspended Ruga programme was fiercely criticised by Nigerians. An example is the Benue State Government which had rejected the proposed Ruga settlement for herdsmen.
In a statement, the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the Governor, Terver Akase, drew the attention of those sponsoring the proposal to the state’s Anti-Open Grazing Prohibition Law and the need to obey it.
The statement reads: “It has become necessary to make the position of the government and people of Benue State abundantly clear on the Ruga settlement for herdsmen being implemented by the Federal Government across the states, including Benue.
“A few weeks ago, the Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture with his team in Benue State informed officials of the State Ministry of Agriculture that he had received directives from the ministry’s headquarters, Abuja, to establish Ruga, which means ‘Fulani settlement’ in parts of the state.
“The director stated that the local government areas selected for the Ruga settlements were Otukpo, Tarka and Ukum.
“The Permanent Secretary, Benue State Ministry of Agriculture drew the attention of the director and his team to the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law 2017 being implemented in the state. When they were also reminded about the Land Use Act, which confers on the governor the powers to administer lands in all parts of the state, officials of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture left with a promise to relay the message to their headquarters.”
The governor’s media aide added: “They surprisingly returned a few days later with contractors to commence work on the Ruga settlements.
“We find the approach of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture not only as a gross violation of the ranching law, but also as an insult to the sensibilities of the entire people of Benue State.
“It could be recalled that the people and government of Benue State rejected cattle colonies and still reject the policy in whichever robes it is disguised.
Governor Samuel Ortom made the stand of Benue State known during the unveiling of the Livestock Development Programme in Abuja last year. He stressed that the state would embrace the policy only if it supports implementation of the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law 2017.”
The governor, Akase said, also insisted that Benue State has no land for open grazing of cattle “and he restated ranching as a lasting solution to the incessant herders and farmers crisis, which the country ought to embrace”.
”We wish to remind those pushing for Ruga settlements that the constitution of the country gives states the right to make laws for the governance of their people. Any attempt to subvert such right is a direct attack on the constitution,” the governor’s media aide said.l
NAN/The Nation
