As stiff opposition continue to greet the Federal Government’s plan to establish Ruga settlements for cattle herders across the country rages, the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has dismissed reports that his office would be coordinating the programme.
According to the Federal government, the aim or establishing these Ruga settlements was to stop open grazing by herdsmen.
General Secretary of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, Baba Uthman Ngelzarma, had reportedly claimes the vice president’s office would be helping the herders to create Ruga settlements across the country.
Osinbajo while reacting to the claim in a statement via his spokesperson, Laolu Akande on Friday night distanced himself from the programme, saying: “Contrary to claims reported in sections of the media, the establishment of Ruga settlements is not being supervised by the Office of the Vice President. ”
He added: “The Ruga initiative is different from the National Livestock Transformation Plan approved by state governors under the auspices of the National Economic Council (NEC) chaired by Osinbajo.
“NEC, on January 17, this year, approved the plan based on the recommendations of a technical committee of the Council chaired by Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State. Other state governors on the committee and working group of NEC are those from Adamawa, Kaduna, Benue, Taraba, Edo, Plateau, Oyo and Zamfara, mostly the frontline states in the farmer-herder crises.
“The National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP) 2019-2028 is a programme to be implemented in seven pilot states of Adamawa, Benue, Kaduna, Plateau, Nasarawa, Taraba and Zamfara (as decided by NEC in January), being states in the frontlines of the farmer-herder crises. Afterwards, six other states have indicated readiness to also implement the plan. They are Katsina, Kano, Kogi, Kwara, Ondo, and Edo states.
“The plan has six pillars through which it aims to transform the livestock production system in Nigeria along market-oriented value chain while ensuring an atmosphere of peace and justice.”
“The six key pillars include economic investment, conflict resolution, justice and peace, humanitarian relief and early recovery, human capital development and cross-cutting issues, such as gender, youth, research and information, and strategic communication.
“In all, the federal government will not impose on any state government regarding its land.”
