Osinbajo denies supervising establishment of Ruga Fulani herdsmen settlements 

Tribune Online
Osinbajo denies supervising establishment of Ruga Fulani herdsmen settlements 

The office of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has said it is not the one supervising the establishment of cattle Fulani settlements known as “Ruga” in parts of the country, contrary to claims reported in sections of the media.

According to a statement issued in Abuja on Friday by Laolu Akande, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity, Office of the Vice President, the Ruga initiative is different from the National Livestock Transformation Plan approved by State governors under the auspices of the National Economic Council (NEC) chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

The statement recalled that NEC on January 17, 2019, approved the plan based on the recommendations of a Technical Committee of the Council chaired by Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State.

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Other State Governors on the committee and Working Group of NEC, its said are those from Adamawa, Kaduna, Benue, Taraba, Edo, Plateau, Oyo and Zamfara – mostly the frontline states in the Farmer-Herder crises.

The statement explained that the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP) 2019-2028 is a programme to be implemented in seven pilot states of Adamawa, Benue, Kaduna, Plateau, Nasarawa, Taraba and Zamfara (as decided by NEC in January), being States in the frontlines of the Farmer-Herder crises.

Afterwards, six other states have indicated readiness to also implement the plan. They are Katsina, Kano, Kogi, Kwara, Ondo, and Edo states, the statement said.

It added: “The plan has six pillars through which it aims to transform the livestock production system in Nigeria along market-oriented value chain while ensuring an atmosphere of peace and justice.

“The six key pillars include economic investment, conflict resolution, justice and peace, humanitarian relief and early recovery, human capital development and cross-cutting issues such as gender, youth, research and information and strategic communication.

“In all the Federal Government will not impose on any State government regarding its land.”

Osinbajo denies supervising establishment of Ruga Fulani herdsmen settlements 
Tribune Online