Plateau resident reject grazing, ranches policy
The people of Plateau State have rejected the proposed ranching policy, in spite of a robust consultative forum organised by the government to sensitise stakeholders on the benefit of the programme.
In an opinion poll carried out by our correspondent in the Tin City of Jos, the capital, more than 60 percent of Jos residence frowned upon the policy, stating that the sincerity of government on the issue could not be trusted.
This result is coming on the heels of the 5th consultative forum that the Plateau State Government had organised to persuade the people on the gains of the policy.
Four out of the five consultative forum, which were held in Government House, Jos, witnessed the presence of Governor Simon Lalong, his Deputy, Sonni Tyoden, the Chief of Staff, John Dafa’an and the Secretary to the State Government, Rufus Bature, except for the 5th one which was organised by the Plateau Peace Building Agency (PPBA) and a non-governmental organisation.
At the 5th consultative forum, which appeared to be the last at the moment, a mild drama ensued between a Fulani and a native of Plateau. The Fulani was receptive to the idea of ranching, while the native was insisting that the policy must not be implemented.
Consequently, notable key players in the state, especially from the People Democratic Party (PDP) vehemently rejected the policy, one of whom was the immediate past governor and Senator representing Plateau North, Jonah Jang, who has issued several statements warning the present administration not to sell the state for a slice of bread.
Lalong and Jang had engaged themselves in war of words since the Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh, listed Plateau State as one of the states that had indicated interest in the policy.
Lalong had accused Jang for signing a document in support of the grazing policy before leaving office, while Jang has dismissed it as laughable, challenging Lalong to publish any document where he endorsed grazing reserves for the state throughout his eight years as governor, saying that if, indeed, Lalong publishes any document, then it’s fake and would leave him with no option than to institute a legal action against the government.
Jang in a press statement signed by his Media Aide, Clinton Garuba, said that, “It is unfortunate that Plateau State had found itself with a government that is willing to sacrifice its future in the mould of the Biblical Esau who forfeited his birth right for a meal of porridge.”
In the statement, Jang also dismissed the accusation by the All Progressive Congress (APC)-led government in Plateau that he was responsible for the anti-grazing, ranching protest that greeted the policy.
Jang was also quoted saying that if the people had not protested the anti-people, ranching policy, it would have been implemented in Plateau State.
“If the APC government accuses Jang of being behind the protest that stopped its plan to implement a grazing reserve policy in the state, then it is an indictment on itself for failing to unite and galvanise the people toward working for the growth and development of the state.
“If the stand of Jang has awakened the people to rejecting the mortgaging of their state, then Barrister Lalong is right to have said Jang is responsible.
“It must, however, be stated in unequivocal terms that Senator Jang does not support and will not support acquisition of land for herdsmen under any guise or by whatever nomenclature it is known”, the statement warned.
Lalong. Responding through his Directorate of Press and Public Affairs, Emmanuel Nanle said that, “the blatant condemnation of the Grazing Reserve Policy as being anti-people, without the depth of knowledge as to the content of the policy and many options for Cattle Rearing, Livestock Farming and Improved Animal Husbandry, which it contains is again an eloquent testimony of Jang’s ‘we’ versus ‘them’ classification of citizens, even when the preservation of the common humanity of the human being should be held sacrosanct”, the statement read in part.
