FG wrong on grazing reserve order ― Activist

Following the recent approval by President Muhammadu Buhari for a committee to review with dispatch, 368 grazing sites across 25 states in the country and determine the levels of encroachment, the Federal Government has been advised not to give any order that will polarise the country in the interest of peace, unity and stability of Nigeria.

Lagos based socio-political activist and critic, Chief Adesunbo Onitiri, gave the advice, on Monday, adding that the president’s order is a wrong move as it will create an unavoidable clash between the president and state governors and this should not be so as it is avoidable.

He said, “I beg to disagree with the recent Grazing Reserve Order of Mr President when considered alongside his plea to the service chiefs not to make him fail in his governance. Any sane mind will find these two conflicting standpoint very absurd.

“The Land Use Act which is part of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and which President Buhari swore to uphold firmly placed administration of land in the purview of the state governors.

“The state governors have already taken a standpoint to ban open grazing in their respective states. The Federal Government has no constitutional authority to impose order on state lands.

“Why then is President Buhari giving an order to impose any land policy on any state to create grazing reserves for ranches which are for private businesses?

“It is clearly against the constitution which the president clearly vowed to uphold. What does this Grazing Reserve order of President Buhari meant to achieve? This order will only do one thing; make Buhari administration fail woefully,” Onitiri stated.

He warned the president not to do anything that will add to the palpable tension nor destroy the fragile peace the country has, adding that “we don’t want our country to turn into Afghanistan. We are all living witnesses to the lawlessness, killing and maiming of people by the Taliban terrorists.”

He implored all state governors to speedily sign the anti-grazing bills into law and repeal the archaic open grazing route and centres while calling on President Buhari to immediately start discussions with the state governors with aim of finding permanent solutions to the herders and farmers problems.

“We urgently need to find solutions to this Fulani herders’ problem. It has become a national problem and can lead to serious inflammation in future.

“We urge President Buhari to try and unite this country and not further divide it. There is strength in our diversity. We have no other country we can call our own and we all have equal rights and stakes in this country, Nigeria,” Chief Onitiri added.

YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

FG wrong on grazing reserve order

We Have Not Had Water Supply In Months ― Abeokuta Residents

In spite of the huge investment in the water sector by the government and international organisations, water scarcity has grown to become a perennial nightmare for residents of Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital. This report x-rays the lives and experiences of residents in getting clean, potable and affordable water amidst the surge of COVID-19 cases in the state…  FG wrong on grazing reserve order