PDP To Alia: Don’t Surrender Benue Lands For Grazing Reserves

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue State, has warned Governor Hyacinth Alia not to surrender Benue lands to the federal government for grazing reserves.

PDP condemned and rejected the federal government’s reported plan to reintroduce grazing reserves under, “its so-called National Ranching Policy and the inclusion of Benue State among the areas selected for its implementation.”

In a statement issued by the PDP State Publicity Secretary, Bright Yima Antyo, the party urged governor Alia to publicly and unequivocally reject any attempt to establish grazing reserves in the state.

PDP said it supports genuine livestock development and modern ranching in which livestock owners acquire land lawfully and establish ranches as private businesses, “just as farmers acquire land for their agricultural enterprises.”

PDP statement said, “The PDP wishes to state without ambiguity that Benue land is not available for grazing reserves, grazing settlements or any policy, whatever name it is given, that seeks to carve out portions of our ancestral lands for the exclusive settlement of herders.

“Let no one hide behind the attractive language of “modern ranching” to reintroduce through the back door policies that the people of Benue have consistently rejected such as Ruga and cattle colonies.

“What we will never support is a scheme under which government takes land belonging to communities and farmers and converts it into grazing reserves or settlements for a particular group. There is no idle land in Benue State waiting to be donated for grazing reserves.

“Benue is an agrarian state. The overwhelming majority of our people depend directly on land for farming and survival. With a growing population, expanding communities and increasing demand for agricultural land, even our indigenous farmers are struggling to obtain sufficient land to cultivate.”

The statement added, “It is therefore provocative and unacceptable for anyone to imagine that scarce Benue land should now be taken from farming communities and converted into grazing settlements,” PDP said.