Federal Government has come up with explanation on the recent policy promoting the establishment of cattle colonies, against the earlier idea of ranching, across the country, stating that the policy would not transfer communal land ownership to marauding herdsmen.
The government clarified that wherever the colonies are established, it is coming as a strategic measure towards curbing the incessant bloody clashes between herdsmen and farmers.
Recall that since the pronouncement of this new policy last week by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh, there have been outrage and palpable tension with speculation that there was an ulterior motives and a grand plot by the government to forcefully collect communal land nationwide and hand over to the marauding herdsmen.
Audu Ogbeh, who made the explanation on Thursday in Abuja when he received the Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong in his office, said that there was no truth in the speculation that government was conspiring to grant supremacy over communal land to Fulani herdsmen.
“Cattle colony is not using Fulani herdsmen to colonize any state. It is going to be done in partnerships with state governments that would like to volunteer land for it. Federal government will fund the project and those wishing to benefit from it will pay some fees,” he said.
Ogbeh, stressed that the idea of the cattle colony was conceived both as a measure to stop the herders/farmers and a platform for government to make more commitments to the development of the livestock sub-sector.
According to the Minister, while cattle ranching is more of an individual venture for the herdsmen and those wishing to invest in the livestock sector, cattle colonies is a larger project where up to 40 ranchers can share same facility that will be provided by the government at a reduced rate.
While he said that cattle colony is bigger in scope and size, he also disclosed that about 16 states have volunteered land for the cattle colonies.
The Minister also stated that the idea behind government funding the project is to facilitate the development of agriculture value chain with the modern facilities that will be in the cattle colonies.
“Ranching is more of an individual venture for those who wants to invest, but cattle colony is bigger in scope and size. It is going to be done in partnership with states government who wish to be part of it. Already 16 states have volunteered land. No body is going to seize land from any community for the project,” he noted.
Earlier in his remarks, Plateau state governor, Simon Lalong who confirmed that he was in the ministry to understand the New policy of cattle colony, said that his state will participate in the project, provided it has the lasting solution to the herdsmen and farmers clashes.
Lalong, while lamenting the absence of standard abattoir in Plateau state, and seeking the assistance of the Federal government in resuscitating the abattoir system in the state, also confirmed that though the Land Use Act of the country invest the right of ownership on the Governor of the state, no community will be made to loose s ancestral home for any purpose to anybody.
According to him, even the cattle ranching policy which his state had started implementing, no communal land was forcefully taken from any community.
