November 12, 2024

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Breaking : S’East govs take tough stance on Ruga * Ban herding of cows by  foot  * Restate rejection for Ruga, NLTP * Ask FG to restrict policies to willing Northern states  * Urge Igbo to ignore threat by Northern youths 

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Breaking : S’East govs take tough stance on Ruga

* Ban herding of cows by  foot
* Restate rejection for Ruga, NLTP
* Ask FG to restrict policies to willing Northern states
* Urge Igbo to ignore threat by Northern youths
By Steve Oko
Apparently worried by the growing tension and angry reactions trailing the suspended toxic Ruga project as well as the National Livestock Transformation Plan, NLTP, South East Governors have finally taken a tough stance on both controversial policies.
This was contained in a press statement issued by the Director General of the South East Governors’ Forum, Professor Simon Uchenna Ortuanya, and obtained by Wawa News Global. 
 
According to the statement the Governors restated their vehement rejection of both policies, saying South East does not have enough land for them.
The Governors who debunked  insinuations that some of them had already secretly allocated land for the projects advised the Federal Government to limit the proposal to only willing states in the North since they are optional.
They equally banned movement of cows by foot in South East, although they said they would not eject peace -loving herders in the zone.
The Governors also urged Ndigbo resident in the North to ignore the threat and 30-day quit ultimatum issued by Northern youths, assuring them of their security.
They sued for peace, urging all those fanning the embers of war not to forget the sad civil war experiences in a hurry.
Below is a full text of the statement:
“RESOLUTION OF THE SOUTH EAST GOVERNORS’ FORUM ON THE VEXED ISSUES OF
THE SUSPENDED RUGA PROGRAMME AND IMPLEMENTATION OF NATIONAL LIVESTOCK
TRANSFORMATION PLAN (NLTP). 9TH JULY, 2019.
“1.  The attention of the South East Governors’ Forum has been drawn to
the various attacks and campaign of calumny by our people alleging
that Governors of South East have secretly donated land for RUGA
Programme being promoted by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and
the National Livestock Transformation Plan, (NLTP) as approved by the
National Economic Council, NEC.
“2.  The fact remains that no South East Governor has donated any land
or intends to donate any land for any of the two programmes for lack
of enough land in the entire South East.
“3.  Governors of South East appreciate the fact that we have good and
law abiding Herdsmen who have been living with us; some of them were
even born here. We have been living in peace with them until recently
when we started witnessing invasion of our land, kidnapping of our
people, killing of defenseless natives and destruction of their
farmlands. These herdsmen that have been living peacefully with us
together with the natives have insisted that these evil as now
experienced in our land are the handiwork of herdsmen moving from
other states into South East and most of the time, these herdsmen are
not even Nigerians.
“4.  Resolution of South East Governors.
“a.  That we will not chase away Herdsmen who are peaceful and have
been living peacefully with us in the South East.
“b.  That we agreed with Herdsmen living peacefully with us and the
natives that movement of cows into the South East should be by road
transportation using trailers to their specific cow markets. No more
allowing foreign Herdsmen to move their cattle by foot as this is the
point of conflict with the farmers and natives.
“c.   That we do not have any land to donate for RUGA or NLTP
programmes but we are committed to selling grasses and by-product of
our farms to support NLTP for states that have keyed into the
programme.
:d.  That we believe that our brothers and sisters who are Herdsmen
deserve a better life and we commend Mr. President and Vice President
for their good intentions in this direction. However, it must be
emphasized that what Federal Government and NEC approved was NLTP and
it is not compulsory for all the states BUT FOR ANY WILLING STATE WHO
WANTS TO PARTICIPATE IN NLTP.
“e.  We advise our kinsmen, women and indeed all Nigerians to please be
careful with comments not to heat up the already charged state of
Nigeria in this regard.
“f.    The wisdom of economics allows states to develop along the lines
of their economic comparative advantage. In this direction, we advise
the FGN to immediately start the implementation of NLTP in the
Northern States that have accepted the Programme and where we have
large expanse of land. This will surly stop the movement of cows from
one state to the other and put a stop to the crisis and suspicion
between farmers and herdsmen. The objective and success of this
programme must be viewed along the lines of conflict resolution,
welfare for herders, peaceful co-existence among farmers and herders,
rehabilitation and reintegration of the displaced farmers/ herders and
natives and increase in the wealth of herders, farmers and the nation
at large
“g.  We ask all our people living outside the South East especially in
the North to ignore the threat contained in the video message by
self-styled Northern Youths. We are in talks with the Northern
Governors and their leaders who speak for their people and they have
assured us that there is no harm that will befall our people living in
various Northern states across Nigeria.
“h.  Finally, we advise those drumming for war to remember our mothers
and children and have a rethink. In a state of war, even your friends
could become your enemies. Let us bond together as one people and
start to think on how to rebuild our youths whose future we ate up in
the time past, rebuild our nation whose patriotism we ignored in the
time past and love one another.
“God bless Nigeria!
“Prof Simon Uchenna Ortuanya
Director General,
South East Governors’ Forum”
Steve Oko, Publisher/C.E.O, WaWa News Global. For more information on advert placement and news coverage, contact us on: 08038725600, or via email stevemanofgod2000@yahoo.com; wawanewsglobal@gmail.com Always read WaWa News Global - Your most dependable online news platform for the latest breaking news in Nigeria.
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