THE 17 Southern Governors have lambasted Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, for saying that their ban on pen grazing in the region ''is of questionable legality.”
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Chairman of the Southwest Governors’ Forum and Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, yesterday, cautioned the Senior Special Assistant, Media and Publicity to the President, Garba Shehu.
The Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has kicked against the plan of the federal government to begin rehabilitation of grazing reserves in the country next month.
“We find the move not only shocking and curious but also as a misplaced priority,” the governor said through his spokesperson, Terver Akase.
Mr Akase stated that at a time the country is worried about the worsening security situation, the federal government considers the reopening of cattle grazing routes as the only solution available to it.
“It is now clear that there is a hidden agenda which only the Presidency knows. Otherwise, all the regions of the country have accepted the fact that open grazing of animals is no longer fashionable and should be banned to pave way for ranching, yet, the government at the centre is insistent that grazing reserves/cattle routes must be created across the country.
The Benue State government described the federal government’s move as shocking.
“While we may not stop the Federal Government’s plan to rehabilitate grazing reserves or create cattle routes in other states, we wish to make it clear that no land in Benue State has been gazetted for grazing routes, grazing reserves, cattle colonies and Ruga settlements. Benue is therefore not part of the grazing reserves rehabilitation programme of the Federal Government.
“We expect the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to weigh the negative consequences its recommendation will have on the unity and security of the nation and advise Mr President that Nigerians are not on the same page with him regarding the matter of open grazing. It is not too late to salvage the situation,” the statement read.