Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has stated the reason the state decided to key into the National Livestock Transformation Plan of the federal government because the National Economic Council (NEC) approved it.
Governor Ortom gave the reasons in a statement issued on Thursday by his Chief Press Secretary, Nathaniel Ikyur, adding that the program also incorporated suggestions from the state stakeholders.
It will be recalled that the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Agriculture and coordinator of the NLTP, Andrew Kwasari, had said that 22 states including Benue already expressed interest in the project which had raised criticism in some quarters.
The statement read in parts, “When the federal government toyed with so many ideas, ranging from open grazing, grazing reserve, grazing routes, cattle colony, Ruga and lastly farm centres in all the 109 Senatorial districts across the country in a very spurious manner, Governor Ortom rose and opposed it. He has not shifted from that position.
“The Benue Government only accepted to key into the National Livestock Transformation Program because the National Economic Council which has the 36 states governors as members approved the National Livestock Transformation Plan which after a series of engagements incorporated suggestions by stakeholders from the state.
“The NLTP provides that states are at liberty to adopt and implement an aspect of the plan that suits its peculiarities. Unfortunately, the presidency rejected this but would rather continue to dribble Nigerians.
“For us in Benue, our peculiarities are that we have a ranching law and in the area of livestock farming, our competitive advantages include indigenous cattle, piggery, goats and fisheries.
“All these have been captured in the plan and Benue State has accepted the implementation of the plan based on these conditions.
“Benue State has continued to reject the establishment of cattle colony, Ruga, settlement and grazing reserve or any other form of coinage previously proposed by the federal government allegedly to curb farmers/herders conflicts across the country because it had every tendency of subterranean plots to undermine the safety and lives of the indigenous people of the state.
“Benue State has therefore not changed.”
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