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From Magnus Eze, Enugu
There is apprehension in the South East, especially in Ebonyi State, following reports that the government has enlisted for the National Livestock Transformation Programme (NLTP) of the Federal Government.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Agriculture, Andrew Kwasari, at the weekend, disclosed 20 states had expressed interest in the NLTP; 17 from the North while three are Ekiti, Ondo and Ebonyi in the South.
The revelation came barely 48 hours after Chairman, South East Governors’ Forum and Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi, said on live television programme that the South East would not cede any land for ranching.
Umahi had described the NLTP as a programme for all kinds of livestock, noting that what worked in Rivers State might not work for states in the South East.
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He said: “What is there is for the states to engage. Talking about ranching; ranching is for states that have land; we don’t have land in the Sout East and would not be part of ranching. But we would participate in other aspects of the beautiful programmes of the NLTP.
He named pasturing; growing of grasses for the animals, maize for birds and others, as the areas states of the south East might be participating in.
The Federal Government had in February said the implementation of the programme would result in a lasting solution to the farmers-herders’ crisis in the country.
But several groups, including the Ebonyi State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party; All Progressives Grand Alliance, Alaigbo Development Foundation, and the Association of South East Town Unions, yesterday, tackled Governor Umahi for dragging the state into the NLTP.
They flayed the governor for not involving the people before taking such a retrogressive decision and warned him not to donate any land for ranching.
