Enugu govt debunks claims, says ranches are not RUGA

Enugu State government has debunked the claims that it plans to establish a RUGA in UzoUwani Local Council of the state, saying it instead plans to establish modern ranches as part of its agro-industrial productivity agenda of turning the state’s dormant assets to productive ones as well as further stem the activities of kidnappers and other criminals, who masquerade as herders.

The government said it has no plans to cede any part of the state’s lands to Fulani herders in the name of RUGA.

The state’s Commissioner for Information, Mr. Aka Eze Aka, who described the reports and videos of a few individuals purportedly protesting government alleged plan to set up RUGA for the Fulani at Nimbo in UzoUwani Local Council as the handiwork of manipulators and political losers, who want to run the administration down for political gains.

In a statement, entitled,”Ranch is Not RUGA”, Aka said: “The attention of government has been drawn to insinuations and utter misrepresentation by some individuals of the good initiative of government to use ranch to further stem the tide of kidnapping and clashes between our border people and the herders.

“Enugu State government is not engaging in any RUGA project in any part of the state and shall not do so. Ranch is not RUGA.

“It has become necessary to explain matters regarding the design to use ranching, a modern method all over the world to rear cattle. The recent viral messages and outcry of a few persons against what they construed as government intention to take over a portion of land in Uzo-Uwani Local Council and give out to Fulanis in the guise of RUGA is but the unfortunate machination of those who wished to make a mountain out of mole hill for political reasons.

“The intention of government is clear on the matter. Armed bandits and kidnappers in the name of herders have for long taken advantage of our forests and farmland to commit heinous crimes, abduction, rape and killings.

“The government of Enugu State has resolved to put a stop to these and introduce ranching, the most modern way of rearing cattle.”

Recall that Governor Peter Mbah had during the campaign promised to grow the state’s economy from $4.4bn to $30bn aside addressing the problem of insecurity by creating agricultural/agro-processing zones in all the three senatorial districts to convert the ungoverned spaces that serve as safe havens for criminals to productive assets.