Desmond Desmond Mgboh, Kano
Kano State governor, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has appealed to the Federal Government to put a halt to the movement of herdsmen from other African countries into the country.
He made the call yesterday during the commissioning of 25 Housing units of RUGA settlement project at Dansoshiya forest, in Kiru Local Government Area of the state
He said that the call had become necessary given the fact that “they come into the country with guns and other weapons, which flame the clash between herders and farmers.”
He said that with the help of such weapons, they take to crimes and criminalities to the country, adding that, “that movement is what brings to us all sort of clashes between herders and other communities, apart from farmers.”
The governor said that Dansoshiya RUGA settlement would serve as nucleus of RUGA settlement project in the state.
“We engage in this project for three fundamental reasons, first and foremost is to avoid clashes between farmers and herders, secondly to avoid movement of herders which is the source of conflict and to avoid cattle rustling,” he said.
The governor insisted that the establishment of RUGA settlement would help end crimes like cattle rustling, kidnapping, armed robbery, among other criminalities.
“It is absolutely necessary to improve and modernise breeding system for Fulani cattle. As it’s clear that a gallon of milk is more expensive than one gallon of petrol, it is, therefore, necessary for us to utilize this great opportunity,” he said.
He promised to construct school and hospital in the settlement, so that the people settling there would get access to good health delivery system and be educated.
Governor Ganduje invited Fulanis across the country to come to Kano RUGA settlement, assuring that “other units of the housing project will continue. As we are receiving more Fulanis from other places.”
The Managing Director of the State Investment and Properties Company (KSIP) who is also the Chairman of the state RUGA Committee, Dr Jibrilla Muhammad assured the governor that the work done is of good quality, adding that “we are appreciative that His Excellency does not relent in this project.”