Mr Muluku Aggah, a member representing Nassarawa Eggon East constituency at the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, has urged farmers and herdsmen to embrace peace and respect the rights of one another.
Aggah gave the advice on Saturday at a peace and security meeting he organised for the people of Arugbadu community in Nassarawa Eggon Local Government area of the state.
He said the purpose of the meeting was to avoid frequent clashes between farmers and herdsmen in order to boost food production in his constituency.
The lawmaker said that the meeting was imperative considering the importance of peace to the agricultural sector and to the socio-economic development of any society,
According to him, farmers and herdsmen should respect the rights of one another if they must enjoy the fruits of their labour.
Aggah urged herdsmen to always avoid grazing on farmland in order to avert clashes between them and farmers.
He urged farmers not to take the law in to their hands no matter the damages done to their crops, adding that they should report their grievances to the appropriate authority for necessary action.
According to him, herdsmen and farmers can only enjoy the fruit of their labour if they embrace peace.
“As a stakeholder and a politician, it is my role to preach peace and advise the people and Nigerians on the need to live in peace and tolerate one another irrespective of ethnic, religious and political affiliations.
“No nation or society can develop in an atmosphere of rancour and confusion.
“When you co-exist peacefully, it will boost food production as well as reduce poverty, unemployment,’’ he said.
Aggah urged the people to be law abiding, respect constituted authorities and not to engage in acts capable of tarnishing their image and the image of the country.
He assured the people of his constituency of a robust and quality representation at the government level, and solicited for their support to enable him succeed.
The Lawmaker urged the people of his constituency and the people of the state to support Gov. Almakura’s administration to enable him succeed in the task ahead of him.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some of the farmers and herdsmen who spoke at the meeting pledged their commitment to continue to live in peace by avoiding taking the laws in to their hands.