Benue declares it has no land for herders’ settlements

By Chiangi Avese, Makurdi

Governor of Benue state, Samuel Ortom has said that the state has no land for herdsmen settlements being implemented by the federal government across the country.

In a press statement issued Tuesday in Makurdi, Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Terver Akase revealed that few weeks ago, the director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture in Makurdi went to the state ministry of agriculture with his team demanding for compliance with the directive of the federal government to establish Fulani settlements, one each in the three senatorial districts of the state.

The local governments selected by the federal government in the state for the establishment of the settlements according to the governor’s spokesman, are Ukum, Tarka and Otukpo respectively.

The statement said the permanent secretary in the state ministry of agriculture drew the attention of the director and his team to the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law 2017 being implemented in the state.

The permanent secretary further directed the attention of the director to the Land Use Act which confers on the governor the powers to administer land in all parts of the state.

According to Akase, the director who left with his team resurfaced few days later with contractors to commence work on the settlements in the state.

“We find the approach of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture not only as a gross violation of the ranching law, but also as an insult to the sensibilities of the entire people of Benue state,” the statement said.

The statement further recalled that the people and government of Benue state rejected cattle colonies and still reject the policy in whichever robe it is disguised.

“We are willing to support cattle owners to establish ranches as stipulated by the law prohibiting open grazing. But, we do not have land for cattle colonies, grazing reserves, grazing routes or herders’ settlements,” the statement added.