• Benue SDP guber candidate flays FG’s ranch proposal

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has called for the immediate withdrawal and review of the N140 million allocated by the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development for the construction and rehabilitation of emirs’ palaces and mosques in Kaduna State.

Describing the allocation as a misplacement of priorities, the group argued that the projects had no clear connection with the ministry’s mandate of developing Nigeria’s livestock industry and strengthening national food security.

In another development, the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Benue State, Prof. Sebatine Hon, has kicked against the state’s inclusion in the federal government’s cattle ranch proposal in the Middle Belt region.

His reaction followed the recent listing of the state by the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Maiha, alongside Plateau, Adamawa, Kaduna and Nasarawa states, as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for the project.

Hon stressed that the government has no iota of constitutional vires to arbitrarily set up ranches in the states, particularly in Benue, unless state governors, as custodians, donate such lands.

“My personal take is that this is a land-grabbing scheme conceived to favour Fulani herders, with attendant security risks. It must be resisted. I personally reject it,” he said.

Ravaged by insecurity, the people of Benue State had in the past vehemently opposed federal attempts to establish cattle ranches in the past.

However, in a statement yesterday, the National Coordinator of HURIWA, Emmanuel Onwubiko, questioned why a specialised ministry responsible for livestock production and value-chain development would fund projects involving religious and traditional institutions.

The organisation said the allocation was particularly troubling as livestock farmers were currently contending with insecurity, inadequate veterinary services, poor infrastructure, limited access to finance, and weak market opportunities.

According to HURIWA, the development also raised wider concerns about budgetary discipline and the integrity of the appropriation process, particularly where federal ministries are assigned projects that are unrelated to their statutory responsibilities.

It argued that such practices could undermine the purpose of establishing specialised ministries and make it difficult for government to implement coherent development policies.

Consequently, HURIWA demanded that the ministry publish the justification and legal basis for the N140 million allocation, alongside details of the projects, proposed beneficiaries, procurement process and source of the requests.

It also asked the ministry to disclose the contractors involved, procurement documents, implementation status and the government officials or institutions responsible for initiating, processing and approving the expenditure.

HURIWA also criticised the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, over a separate controversial budgetary provision initially described as N1 billion for church musical instruments in Bende Federal Constituency of Abia State.

The group rejected the explanation from Kalu’s office that the provision, which reportedly amounts to about N780 million after VAT and other deductions, was intended as a Youth Re-orientation and Social Support Programme to be implemented through faith-based organisations.