There are indications that the National Economic Council will soon meet to put finishing touches on the suspended Ruga project, also known as the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP).
The NEC had last year approved the NLTP, which is aimed at rehabilitating internally displaced persons and developing ranches in any willing state of the federation.
Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari has come under fire for introducing the plan, with many governors accusing him of plotting to take Nigerian lands for his Fulani kinsmen.
The Senior Special Assistant to the Vice-President, Mr Laolu Akande, confirmed that interested states and the Federal Government were still discussing the NLTP.
He said, “The stage the plan is now is that the Federal Government and the interested states are finalising a lot of issues, including funding.
READ ALSO: 3,500 Fulani people being detained without trial across Nigeria – Group cries out
“There is a plan that will commit the Federal Government to be part of the funding and some states as well. Very soon, these issues will be sorted out.
“There will be a meeting of NEC very soon to look at all these issues as consultations are going on. So, we can’t put a date to the take-off time really yet.”
The Punch also reports that the Ruga project is awaiting the appointment of a minister of agriculture and rural development for full kick-off.
Recall that Osinbajo had distanced himself from the Ruga programme, saying it was not part of the NLTP. But president’s aide on media, Garba Shehu, has insisted that the two projects are the same.