Benue agrees to embrace FG’s livestock plan if…

The Benue State government has agreed to embrace the National Livestock Transformation Plan as long as it does not breach provisions of the state’s Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law.

Our correspondent reports that the state, at an earlier stakeholders meeting in Makurdi, rejected the plan on grounds that the document was a reintroduction of the rejected Ruga settlements and cattle colonies for herdsmen.

But Governor Samuel Ortom’s Chief Press Secretary, Terver Akase, in a statement made available to Daily Trust in Makurdi on Monday, noted that at a second meeting, the stakeholders had resolved to reconsider their position in view of the fact that they now have enough information to make an informed decision.

He stated that the stakeholders went through the complete document which was recently made available to them during a meeting facilitated by former Director of Livestock Services of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Dr. Joseph Nyager.

“The stakeholders subsequently issued a communique, which made it clear that the state would embrace the National Livestock Transformation Plan to the extent that it does not breach provisions of the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law of the state.

“It was also resolved during the meeting that a technical team of experts be put together to study the NLTP document and identify areas suitable for implementation in Benue State based on peculiarities of the state,” the statement reads.

Akase explained further that it became necessary to state that the Benue state government at no time rejected the livestock plan approved by National Economic Council which has the 36 state Governors as members.

The statement maintained that what Benue rejected and still reject are cattle colonies, Ruga settlements and grazing reserves which were neither discussed nor approved by NEC, adding that NEC agreed that regarding the livestock plan, each state would be free to adopt aspects of the plan which suit its peculiarities.