Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
Benue State Government has rejected the planned Ruga settlement for herdsmen by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture in the state.
The governor Samuel Ortom, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Terver Akase reiterated his stance that the state has no land for open grazing of cattle .
He added that ranching is the only lasting solution to the incessant herders and farmers crisis which the country ought to embrace.
“It has become necessary to make the position of the government and people of Benue State abundantly clear on the Ruga settlements for herdsmen being implemented by the Federal Government across the states including Benue.
He recalled that a few weeks ago, the Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture with his team in the state informed officials of the state Ministry of Agriculture that he had received directives from the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja to establish Ruga which means ‘Fulani settlement’ in the state.
At the meeting, he quoted the director to have revealed that three local government areas of Ukum, Tarka and Otukpo have been selected for the Ruga settlements in the state.
“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.’’ he said.