Gyang Bere, Jos
The Director-General, Plateau Peace Building Agency, Mr Joseph Lengman has said that Plateau State will not adopt RUGA settlement in resolving herder-farmers conflicts.
He noted that the state had earmarked Wase and Kanam local government areas for the commencement of the prancing scheme under the National Livestock Transformation Plan of the Federal government.
Lengman disclosed this in Jos on Wednesday during a Peace Architecture Dialogue meeting with journalists, Civil Society organizations and government representatives centered on the proposed National Livestock Transformation Plan as a pathway to resolving the herder-farmer clashes in the state.
“Nothing like RUGA has been adopted in Plateau State, but the state has only accepted ranching scheme which is the same thing as the National Livestock Transformation plan and if the pilot scheme succeeds, it will be a robust basis for the full implementation of the Ranching Policy in the State”.
He said the state would kick start the pilot scheme in Wase and Kanam local government areas where already there are government grazing land gazetted since 1960.
Lengman said the media play very vital role in shaping the society and there is a need for accurate information with a view to curtailing negatives narrative of the National Livestock Transformation plan implementation.
He debunked the rumours that Plateau State government has the intention of taking over land from the natives in Riyom, Barkin Ladi and Bokkos LGC of the state for RUGA policy, adding that Plateau has nothing to do with the RUGA plans.
“The herders-farmers’ clashes are growing more dangerous than the Boko Haram and that is why this meeting seeks pathways for the transformation of the farmer-herder crisis in the state”.
He explained that dialogue is the most important instrument in building peace in the state, saying the agency had concluded arrangement for the establishment of Local Government Peace structures in all the 17 local government areas of the state for enduring peace.