At a time Governors of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, had objected to President Muhammadu Buhari’s plan to establish grazing route across the country, an All Progressive Congress, APC, Governor on Friday, June 17, joined the opposition, by kicking against the policy.
According to Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, the proposed grazing zones, should be deemed private business ventures of those who rear cattle, adding that the incessant clashes between herdsmen and farmers in the country, would not be solved with the proposed creation of grazing fields by the President.
The statement which negates the principle and vision of APC-led Federal Government, has sent a dangerous signal to the Presidency.
It could be recalled, that President Buhari had during one of his international speeches, said he had adopted a master plan of mapping out grazing areas, which would be presented to the Nigerian Governors Forum, NGF, as temporary solution to the frequent conflicts between farmers and herdsmen.
Since the pronouncement, Buhari’s staunch critic, Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State, had opposed the proposed plan, and also taken steps to further place a ban on cattle rearing in the State.
Governor Amosun, having weighed the pros and the cons, in Abeokuta, while receiving the technical committee on herdsmen/farmers clashes set up by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin, openly said he would not support grazing reserves.
He said, “The setting up of the committee is timely, and a step in the right direction.
“People have suggested a number of solutions. But, for me, I would not support grazing.“They should take it as a business, probably building ranches privately.“We should not try to solve a problem by creating another one,” Amosun said.
Earlier in his remarks, the head of the technical committee, Major-General Edward Nze, said the panel was set up by the Chief of Defence Staff, at the request of President Muhammadu Buhari.
He noted that, the technical committee had visited some affected States, including: Nasarawa, Benue, Enugu, Zamfara, Ondo, Ekiti and Oyo, ahead of the planned operation.
According to him, the delegation is in Ogun, to meet with relevant stakeholders, towards ascertaining facts about the herdsmen and farmers clashes.
“When we finish, we will take back the information gathered to Abuja, where we would present it to the Chief of Defence Staff, who in turn, would use it to plan an operation that can assist us to deal with this menace once and for all,” Major-General Nze said.
0 comments:
Post a Comment