No To Grazing Policy in Plateau: Plateau Youths To Occupy Plateau On Monday

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  • Lawmaker warns against The Policy

Amid the raging debate on the Plateau over the issue of grazing reserves being proposed by Governor Lalong, this is as Dachung Bagos, as a former House of Representatives aspirant and convener of the Plateau G17 group has called on youths of Plateau State to rise to the occasion by standing u to the current issue.

In a statement he issued he said; “Let’s take a stand against land grabbing through the grazing reserves policy. This is a clarion call to all Plateau youth to come out en masse and take a stand against interests which seek to mortgage our futures and heritage through the dubious and diabolical grazing reserves bill.

“It is not news that the Plateau state government has gone ahead with plans to apportion large swathes of lands across the state to a purported grazing reserves/ranches policy without due consultation with stakeholders and the relevant communities,” the Statement said.

“Such a policy means that Plateau farmers will be massively disadvantaged and undermined in terms of land ownership, productivity and subsistence. This will put massive pressures on farming and agriculture –exacerbating the current conflicts. We as Plateau youths reject such dangerous policy, because of the dangers and disadvantages it portends to our (and our children’s) futures.

We call on the state Government to immediately rescind such a dangerous decision and decisively delist Plateau state from the list of grazing areas and commence full consultation with relevant stakeholders and communities on this matter.”

As Frantz Fanon aptly puts it “each generation must, come out of obscurity, discover its mission, fulfill it or betray it”.

We must not shy away from this very important duty for ourselves and posterity!!!

Come out en masse and occupy Plateau state.

Date: The protest starts on Monday 13th June 2016

Time: 9:00 am prompt

Venue: Old Government House Rayfield Jos

Bagos finished his communique by reiterating that the protest is a peaceful one and that no violence of any sort will be tolerated. He called on all who plan to attend, to be of good conduct and protest within the confined of civility.

In a related development, a lawmaker representing Barki Ladi/Riyom federal Constituency Hon I D Gyang has totally rejected the grazing policy as it warns against act that can cause crisis in a state that peace is gradually returning to.

In a statement signed by his media aide Chuwang Dungs the lawmaker stated that no portion of lands within his constituency (Barkin Ladi and Riyom) should be gazetted or appended for such grazing plans because it goes against the wishes of his people;  “One issue that has of recent generated concern and heated debate in Nigeria is the decision by the Federal Government to create Grazing Reserves. This policy decision may have arisen out of the desire to seek a solution to the increasing spate of herdsmen insurgency that has devastated many farming communities across the nation, most affected being the North Central States of Plateau, Nasarawa and Benue States with extension to some communities in Kaduna, Zamfara, Taraba, Ekiti and Enugu States among others.

“The Grazing Reserve option is said to have received the endorsement and consent of some Northern State Governors including Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State. This revelation came to the open through a media engagement by the Hon. Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh. One would have thought that given the far reaching implications of the Governor’s decision, he might have consulted thoroughly with critical stakeholders on the Plateau like the State House of Assembly, Plateau State Traditional Council, etc.

“The fears and contention over this policy decision of the Government is ominous given the devastation and violent attacks which host communities have suffered from herdsmen leading to displacement from their ancestral habitat.

“The Federal Government being aware that it has no constitutional powers to administer land matters, has resorted to the powers vested on Governors under section 2 of the Land Use Act embedded in section 315 (5,d) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) by seeking the consent and approval of willing Governors to allocate land within their states for the implementation of the Grazing Reserves Policy .

“My take on this matter as it relates to Plateau State especially the Barkin Ladi/Riyom Federal Constituency which I represent –a constituency that is fast recovering from over a decade of violent attacks and a people whose lands are still under forceful occupation by herdsmen, is that the constituency or any part thereof, should not, ought not and cannot be within the contemplation of housing a Grazing Reserve. Already, there is palpable fear among the indigenous people in my constituency that the grazing reserve policy is simply a ploy to legitimize their displacement and forceful occupation of their ancestral land and heritage by herdsmen. To insist on creating any grazing reserve in this constituency or anywhere near it will rather than solving the problem create new ones and further exacerbate the situation it is intended to remedy. It is therefore not welcome.

“Government should instead of pushing for the creation of Grazing Reserves, adopt and implement the option of animal husbandry and Cattle Ranching as a viable alternative economic activity for herdsmen. This option is the much needed panacea against herdsmen insurgency that will engender lasting peace. It is the globally tested and accepted best practice!

 

“Cattle owners and herdsmen being introduced to ranching may seek the prior and mutual consent of their host communities as against the seeming outright and unilateral imposition of the grazing reserves policy by government. After all, the security and wellbeing of citizens is the primary constitutional responsibility of government as enshrined in section 14 (2,b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). The same government cannot be seen adopting policies that set citizens and communities against one another in hostility, acrimony and violent conflict.

“As for the widely circulated Grazing Reserve Bill at the National Assembly, one need not re-state the fact that the Bill clearly contradicts and violates the Land Use Act as embeded in section 315 (5) (d) 1999 constitution (as amended) and is therefore doomed by reason of its inconsistency. Having been recycled for the third time in the 8th Assembly, it should suffer the same fate of being thrown out as was the case in the 6th and 7th Assemblies, more so that it affects a matter that is Constitutionally under the purview of State Governments”.

The Grazing Reserve option either by way of a legislative Bill or a policy decision of the Executive arm of Government is neither suitable nor feasible given the fact that it will worsen the problem it is intended to solve. Simply put, private ranching for cattle breeding is the most reasonable policy option in this instance. Government should accept and adopt the option and facilitate access for herdsmen to loanable funds thus enabling them establish and own private ranches the same way it has facilitated loans for rice and wheat farmers.

Governors on the other hand while exercising the constitutional powers vested on them by the Land Use Act, should avoid any action(s) that will instead of promoting peaceful co-existence among citizens, cause disaffection, disharmony and acrimony . We should only promote policies and legislation that best serve our national interest as against those that constitute a threat to the fragile peace of our dear nation, Nigeria.

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.

 

3 Comments
  1. Ahmed Ibrahim says

    The grazing land or redemarcation of same should not be the issue. The actual need now is for Ranches with real facilities to come up in Local Government areas with the Fulani Cattle Rearers. It will never be what these shallow brains are thinking now. The issue is just a blessing from God. Ranches will boast the Economic situation of our poor States. And all, will laugh at last. These elements wasting their times talking in bias language stands not to benefit from what history offered them in the past. I pity them and congratulate the core Fulani cattle rearing areas. State Governors of these particular States must stand up with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture in this regard. The Governors supposed to be those who brought this agricultural revolution in their States not Elder/Mal Audu Ogbe.

  2. Sumput Emmanuel says

    @Ahmed, i dnt knw ur state of origin, bt i want u 2 knw n undastand dat if u like it,s good 4 u, u cant force anytin on people dis 21st centuary, mayb d should come up wit a piggery n dog breeding ground 4 katsina,sokoto,zamfara,jigawa,kano,zaria,yobe n maiduguri 2 help build d economy bter n for peace,& i think dos fulani hersmen should go back 2 dia respectful state n set dat grazing or ranges in dia fathers land not oda peoples land,ok i get it dos village d attack dats wer d want ok, tell dem & d federal govt if only d can nuclear bomb us all d can hv d land, bt 4 now d hv not finish killing us yet, d shld finish wat d start b4 d bill, blood sucking people with foolish bill, ur bill should a jurisdiction 2 wer dia s cattles n native breeding cattles in dia father land,n ist wit d national money,tax payers money dat u want 2 fun a particular ethnic group 2 hv a stay in d whole federation, hmmn dats cool, ur bill s d road 2 d division of dis country 2 d very six geopolitical zone, dat wl make everyone 2 mine dia business in d papa land, pls we are not wise enough 2 know it economic importance can d peacefuly for d sake of peace take it 2 ur various village, ur people dat like, u d inlighten&intelligent ones.tanx

  3. Sumput Emmanuel says

    @Ahmed, i dnt knw ur state of origin, bt i want u 2 knw n undastand dat if u like it,s good 4 u, u cant force anytin on people dis 21st centuary, mayb d should come up wit a piggery n dog breeding ground 4 katsina,sokoto,zamfara,jigawa,kano,zaria,yobe n maiduguri 2 help build d economy bter n for peace,& i think dos fulani hersmen should go back 2 dia respectful state n set dat grazing or ranges in dia fathers land not oda peoples land,ok i get it dos village d attack dats wer d want ok, tell dem & d federal govt if only d can nuclear bomb us all d can hv d land, bt 4 now d hv not finish killing us yet, d shld finish wat d start b4 d bill, blood sucking people with foolish bill, ur bill should a jurisdiction 2 wer dia s cattles n native breeding cattles in dia father land,n ist wit d national money,tax payers money dat u want 2 fun a particular ethnic group 2 hv a stay in d whole federation, hmmn dats cool, ur bill s d road 2 d division of dis country 2 d very six geopolitical zone, dat wl make everyone 2 mine dia business in d papa land, ok i remember d history how our land was taken forcefully n how our people wer kill by foreigners dat dont knw dia state of origin bt claim other people heritage, s dat d economic importance u talking abt, d tin minning holes & ponds right ok,i got u,pls we are not wise enough 2 know it economic importance can d peacefuly for d sake of peace take it 2 ur various village, u people dat like it,u are d inlighten&intelligent ones,u can have it,let me ask u, would u force someone 2 take gift from u. U no everytin abt dis s 2 trojan n history has prove it n even now we can see it even a small child in d street of Jos-Plateau wl not say Yes 2 it,even a Mad person, dats why i was thinking dat my Governor s spiritually sick, and we are praying 4 him setiously b4 s too late,cus we love him,tanx.!

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