Herdsmen/farmers crisis: Ohanaeze Ndigbo rejects FG's plan to establish ranches in 10 states

macfranc007 June 21, 2018 Nigeria News today & Breaking news ▷ Read Naija news 24/7 Jerrywright Ukwu

- A 6-point plan was recently rolled out by the federal government to solve the problem between herdsmen and farmers

- Themed 'The National Livestock Transformation Plan,' the government plans to establish ranches in 10 states

- The idea has been rejected by the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo

The Ohanaeze Ndigbo has rejected the planned establishment of 94 ranches in 10 states of Nigeria as a way of finding peace and putting an end to constant clashes between farmers and herdsmen across the country.

The president of the Anambra state chapter of the apex social-cultural Igbo organization, Chief Demian Okeke-Ogene, in an interview with Tribune on behalf of the group, said the establishment of the ranches was against the law of the land.

The policy, an initiative of the minister for agriculture and rural development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, was aimed at establishing the ventures in all states of the federation.

Okeke-Ogene said incessant clashes between herdsmen and farmers in the country could not be curbed through the establishment of ranches policy. He explained that the policy would in some time in future indicate the transfer of ownership of such lands to cattle herders, rendering same sovereignty within the exclusive control of herdsmen.

He noted that rearing of cattle remained a private venture and not a federal or state government enterprise.

“Such private venture does not fall within the purview of ‘overriding public interest’ as envisaged by the Land Use Act of 2004, section 28.

“The implementation of this policy is not only unlawful but will also lead to several agitations by other private investors for allocation of lands, leading to the total breakdown of law and order,” the leader noted.

Okeke-Ogene urged the southeast states, state assemblies in the region and other concerns institutions to reject in strongest terms the federal government's planned establishment of ranches in 10 troubled states for the herdsmen.

He said any attempt to implement the policy will amount to the encroachment of the people’s right to existence and would be vehemently rejected by the Igbo’s extraction.

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In an earlier report, the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum also rejected the federal government’s plan to establish pilot cattle ranches in 10 states, describing the decision as vexatious.

Meanwhile, the federal government has said that Nigeria loses about N5.04 trillion annually to the frequent conflicts between herdsmen and farmers in different parts of the country.

The government, however, assured that it has developed a plan to permanently solve the farmers-herders’ conflicts which has claimed the lives of thousands over the years.

NAIJ.com gathered that the plan is a multifaceted intervention that will modernise livestock management in Nigeria, and help achieve improved productivity and security.

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