RUGA Settlement suffers still birth as President Buhari suspends project

BY OUR EDITOR

The controversial RUGA Settlement programme of the Federal Government, designed to accommodate Fulani herdsmen and their cattle across the 36 states of the Federation has been suspended by the President, Muhammadu Buhari.

Initial announcement Wednesday by the Ebonyi State governor Engr. David Umeahi, after a meeting of some governors with the Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, at the State House, Abuja, has been confirmed by presidency spokesman, Garba Shehu.

The presidency said that the Ruga settlement was suspended because it was inconsistent with the recommended and approved National Livestock Transformation Plan, by the National Economic Council (NEC), a body made up of the governors of the 36 states of the federation and chaired by the Vice President, Prof. Osinbajo.

The meeting was attended by Governor David Umahi (Ebonyi), Simon Lalong (Plateau), Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Deputy Governor of Adamawa state and Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Agriculture.

Briefing newsmen at the end of the meeting, Umahi said the National Livestock Transformation programme was voluntary for any willing state in the country.

“We the National Economic Council (NEC) committee on farmers/herders’ crisis under the chairmanship of HE Mr. Vice President met today to deliberate on the approved programme of NEC and Federal Government, tagged, ‘the National Livestock Transformation Programme.’

“We are aware that today Mr. President has suspended the implementation of Ruga programme, initiated and being implemented by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, because it is not consistent with the NEC and Federal Government approved National Livestock Transformation Plan which has programmes of rehabilitation of displaced IDPs, resulting from the crisis and also development of ranches in any willing state of the Federation. The word is ‘willing’ state of the federation,” he said.

He further said, “The National Livestock Transformation Plan, its beauty is that what NEC and FG approved is a voluntary programme to all the 36 states who may like to participate. So, it is not compulsory, it is for any state that is willing, will key into the programme.

“Any state that is interested in this programme is required to bring up a development plan that is keyed towards the implementation in line with our own programme here that is unique to his state based on the challenges that he has in respect of the crisis. That’s the decision of this committee.”

The RUGA Settlement programme had drawn the ire of various interest groups and individuals who interpreted it as a ploy to grab lands for nomadic Fulanis, using cattle as a decoy.

Most governors, particularly those of the south east, south-south, south west, parts of north central and north east dissociated themselves from the RUGA programme.

Even the Vice President, Prof. Osinbajo, washed his hands off the programme when the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN) suggested that his office was coordinating the RUGA programme.