Senator Gershom Bassey (PDP – Calabar South) says cattle rearing is a private business and must remain so.
He stated this while reacting to the controversy generated by the suspended Ruga Settlement policy.
According to Bassey, the Federal Government has no business getting involved in the private concern of cattle herders.
He therefore appreciated President Muhammadu Buhari for suspending the policy, urging him to make the suspension permanent.
The senator said, “A lot of people who are far more experienced and knowledgeable in this matter (Cattle business) than me have proferred so many solutions like ranching but I think the key thing from my take away is that this is a private sector matter.
“It is essentially a private sector matter and not a public sector matter and therefore solutions should be tailored to creating enabling environment and also taking people’s liberties into account.
“So, these are not things you can decree or you can force people to do. There are things that are done voluntarily like we do in the private sector. In private sector there is the issue of demand and supply and if people want something a need is created for that thing but if people don’t want that thing, there is no need to try to force it down their throat.
“So, I think there must be a wider conversation…. but I think at the end of the day, the good news that came from the President is that the President is listening. So that is a good step in the right direction.”
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