Jos (Nigeria) – The Plateau state governor in North-central Nigeria, Simon Lalong, has disclosed that, both governments at Federal and state levels are making plans to establish ranches instead of grazing reserves for herdsmen in order to address the incessant farmers/herdsmen clashes in the country.
Lalong disclosed this on Sunday at the dedication of the new Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), headquarters in Jos.
According to him, grazing reserves would not address the herdsmen/farmers clashes and the killings experienced in the country but when the ranches are established, cattles would be kept in one place and fed, where government will provide facilities like medical, schools and other needs in the ranches.
He noted that, the ranches would not be for Fulani herdsmen alone but for whomever that rears cattle.
While calling on people of the state to pray for the stability of the state and country as a whole, governor Lalong said the Buhari’s administration inherited myriads of problems, of which the herdsmen/farmers clashes was one, as such, people need to be patient.
The Senator representing Plateau South, Jeremiah Useni, in a remark said delegates at the 2014 National Conference agreed that grazing reserves should be a state affair, not federal.
Useni however noted that it would be difficult for farmers to support the establishment of grazing areas as they would not donate their farms for grazing purposes.
While delivering the sermon, former ECWA President, Anthony Farinto, called on Nigerian leaders at all levels to as a matter of Urgency address the difficulties Nigerians are going through, especially the security challenges.
“If a serving Colonel could be kidnapped and killed, it portends serious danger for the country,” he noted.
