Senator Shehu Sani has advised the Federal Government against forcing the proposed Ruga settlement for herdsmen on host communities across the nation.
The Federal Government had through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture proposed the establishment of the Ruga settlements to resolve the frequent farmer/herdsmen conflicts across the nation.
In a Sunday statement, FG reiterated that the Ruga settlement programme would also create jobs and boost animal production, leading to increased revenues to the state and Federal governments.
Also, the Federal Government said that the pilot phase would go ahead in the 12 states that have volunteered land for the scheme, which has attracted widespread condemnation across the country.
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Reacting, Sani said that the Federal Government must seek and obtain the cooperation of host communities before going ahead with the Ruga settlements.
According the senator, who represented Kaduna Central in the 8th Senate, the scheme will fail without the acceptance of the host communities, even if the state governments are in support.
He said, “To establish Ruga in a hostile environment is like throwing Butter into a Pan of Hot oil.
“The viability of Ruga is dependent on its acceptance by the host communities and not by FG’s unilateralism or by its approval or objections by the state Governors.”
See tweet:
To establish Ruga in a hostile environment is like throwing Butter into a Pan of Hot oil.The viability of Ruga is dependent on its acceptance by the host communities and not by FG’s unilateralism or by its approval or objections by the state Governors.
— Senator Shehu Sani (@ShehuSani) July 1, 2019
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