Plateau state governor, Simon Bako Lalong, has refuted media reports quoting him to have said that the federal government, through the National Economic Council, chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, had approved N100 billion for the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP).
Lalong stated that the statement attributed to him from an interview he recently granted was a total misrepresentation of fact.
He stressed that for the avoidance of doubt, “I never mentioned or in any way inferred during my interview that the Federal Government or the National Economic Council chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo approved the sum of N100 billion for the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP) or any ranching programme”.
A statement issued by the governor’s Director of Press and Public Affairs, Dr. Makut Simon Macham quoted Lalong as saying: “what I clearly stated in the said interview was that the document about livestock was initiated during the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan for which they budgeted N100 billion. At no time did I associate the Buhari Administration with the approval or management of such funds.”
Governor Lalong, who is also the Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, also said the forum had been briefed about the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP) during their emergency meeting held last week in Kaduna.
He noted that they had adopted it because it lays out clear path for modernizing pastoral activities as well as provides a mechanism for peaceful dialogue and reconciliation among farmers and herders in the region.
