Masari attacks critics of N6.25bn cattle ranch project

Katsina State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari, has deplored calls in some quarters for the probe of the N6.25 billion Katsina cattle ranch project by President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

Some civil society organisations had called on anti-graft agencies to probe the project.

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The groups stated that it was illegal for President Buhari to dip hands into public coffers to sponsor private businesses without recourse to due process.

But the Katsina governor said there was nothing wrong for the presidency to site a pilot project in any state of the federation.

He was speaking at a stakeholders’ workshop organised by the office of the Special Assistant (SA) to the governor on Livestock and Grazing Reserves in Katsina.

He said the move began with the peace initiative the state entered with herders in the forest in 2016, after which the state requested for funds under the stabilisation funds for the project.

He added that after the 2019 election, he had to personally take a request to the president to which he eventually approved 50 percent of the fund required for the project.

The governor called on all stakeholders, particularly the Fulani leaders, to assist in providing security during the project implementation.