By Peter Duru, Makurdi

The Benue state government has explained that it accepted that National Livestock Transformation Plan, NLTP, of the Federal Government because the plan made provision for the establishment of ranches in the country insisting that it will not support other policies or coinages aimed at grabbing land from Benue people.

The government in a statement Thursday in Makurdi by the Chief Press Secretary, CPS, to the Governor, Mr. Nathaniel Ikyur said the clarification became necessary following the allegation by a former presidential aide, Laureta Onochie, that Governor Samuel Ortom supports the RUGA policy in order to access funds from the federal government for ranches.

The statement read, “we read insinuations in the media where former Presidential aide, Lauretta Onochie tried to give a false narrative about the stand of Governor Samuel Ortom on the implementation of the NLTP.

“Onochie made spurious allegations, painting the picture that Governor Ortom supports RUGA because the State Government was listed as one of the states that applied for funds from the Federal Government for the purposes of establishing Ranches.

“It is on record that Governor Ortom has rejected all manner of coinage from the Federal Government in a bid to grab land from Benue State.

“When the Federal Government toyed with so many ideas, ranging from Open Grazing, Grazing Reserves, Grazing Routes, Cattle Colony, RUGA and lastly Farm Centres in the 109 Senatorial Districts across the country in a very suspicious manner, Governor Ortom rose up and opposed it. He rejected any of such policies being imposed on Benue. He has not shifted from that position.

“The Benue State Government only accepted to key into the National Livestock Transformation Program, NLTP, because the National Economic Council, NEC, which has the 36 state governors as members, approved the NLTP which after series of engagement incorporated suggestions by stakeholders from the State.

“The NLTP provides that States are at liberty to adopt and implement aspects of the plan that suit its peculiarities. Unfortunately, the presidency rejected this but would rather continue to dribble Nigerians.

“For us in Benue State, our peculiarities are that we have a ranching law and in the area of livestock farming, our competetive advantages include indigenous cattle, piggery, goats and fisheries etc. All these have been captured in the Plan and Benue State has accepted the implementation of the Plan based on these conditions.

“Benue State’s  position has therefore not changed. It is therefore mischievous for Onochie to drag Governor Ortom into an argument she lacks knowledge about. She should not use Governor Ortom to warm her way back into the consciousness of the President for patronage.

“She should rather commend Governor Ortom for insisting on ranching as the win-win solution to herdsmen attacks on farming communities which has now been embraced by others States and the Federal Government.”