Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State has reacted to the controversy over the proposed Ruga Settlement, an initiative the federal government says will check insecurity arising from open animal grazing.
The proposal, kickstarting in some northern states on a pilot phase, has sparked controversy with many Nigerians accusing the federal government of pushing a land grab policy.
Some have also questioned why the government is funding and piloting an initiative that is effectively supposed to be a private business. Some state governments, including Benue and Edo, have rejected the planned Ruga Settlement. The South East and South South states have also said they will not welcome the programme.
As a member of a committee handling the government’s effort to check incessant clashes between herders and farmers, Mr. Lalong defended the programme on Monday after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said “I come to see the president on behalf of my state and on behalf of the 19 northern states as chairman of Northern governors’ forum. I came in to have a discussion with Mr. President. Of course, many of you know that I just came back from Egypt where we went to cheer our Super Eagles and I also brought him the concerns of our players over there and he promised to handle the matter immediately. Because football is a unifying factor in Nigeria and we shouldn’t joke with it, if they bring back the cup it will cement our relationship and that is one of it”.
“I think the Ruga thing should not be anything that should bring controversy with the level of sensitisation we’ve already made. I am a member of the food security committee, I am a member of the herdsmen/farmers committee, we’ve gone a long way on this issue and we’ve said that the only solution that can address some of these insecurity issues between herdsmen and farmers is the ranching policy. You remember that one time we have gone far when some people called it a colony and called it this and that, and it created controversy “, he added.