George Okoh
Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has said that the state will reject the planned review of the Land Use Act by the federal government with vehemence, alleging that the plot is meant to grab land for open grazing, cattle routes and grazing reserves.
Ortom spoke yesterday in Makurdi, the state capital, while inspecting ongoing projects by the state.
He said the insinuation of planned review of the Land Use Act of 1978 to give ownership of land to the federal government and to push for takeover of waterways and River Banks by the federal government will not work
The governor stated that the attempt to review the Land Use Act by the presidency would not be acceptable by Benue State, insisting that it was another attempt to grab land from the people for open grazing, pointing out that continued insistence on open grazing and cattle routes connotes a hiding agenda.
He also noted that Livestock Guards cannot be held responsible for any strayed cattle in the course of trying to impound livestock that contravenes the ranching law of the state.
The governor noted that as herders attack and sometimes kill livestock guards and security agents in the course of discharging their responsibilities, force has to be applied to impound the cattle, which could result to some of them straying
He stated that if herdsmen had obeyed the ranching law of the state and complied with its provisions, nothing of such would have happened in the first place, let alone the blame game.
Ortom described the allegation as cheap blackmail, stressing that it was ridiculous for the presidency to continue to look for solution to farmers and herders crisis when ranching is there and had proven to be a global best solution.
He warned that the manner the presidency is trying to impose grazing routes on states will lead to crises