Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has said that the implementation of the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP) in Benue will conform strictly with the state’s Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law, 2017.
Ortom who stated this during the launch of the NLTP and commencement of training on the programme in the state held at Benue Hotels, Makurdi reiterated the commitment of his administration to full implementation of the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law, saying that no part of the state would be allocated for grazing reserves or Ruga settlements.
While noting that Benue decided to domesticate the National Livestock Transformation Plan because stakeholders were convinced that the state would be free to own and implement the programme, Ortom stressed that the NLTP would be implemented according to the peculiarities of Benue State and that focus would be on livestock such as pigs, goats, poultry, sheep and cows.
Governor Ortom therefore encouraged Benue households to venture into animal husbandry in addition to crop farming with ranching as the driving method.
Governor Ortom commended Senior Special Assistant to the President on Agriculture in the office of the Vice President, Dr. Andrew Kwasari for his contributions to the NLTP initiative, assuring him of greater collaboration.
The Governor however appealed to the Federal Government to fulfil its promise of ensuring the return of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to their ancestral homes as soon as possible.
Earlier, Special Adviser to the Governor on Development Cooperation, Sustainable Development Goals and NEPAD, Dr. Magdalyne Dura had thanked stakeholders present and other Benue people for their various contributions to the NLTP domestication process.
Representatives of the Tor Tiv and Ochi ‘Doma, civil society organisations and the academia supported implementation of the programme, expressing the hope that reservations raised by people of the state would be addressed.
