The Governor of Ebonyi State and Chairman Southeast Governors’ Forum, Engr. David Umahi, yesterday said the zone had before now banned open grazing of cattles within the region. The governor announced this during an APC stakeholders meeting at the Christian Ecumenical Centre, Abakaliki.
The governor who said the Southeast Governors’ Forum had also banned the movement of cows by foot enjoined leaders to exhibit patriotism in their conduct to guarantee the unity of the country.
“We are living in a dangerous time. Without patriotism to our nation Nigeria, it is very difficult to have a peaceful time” He called on leaders and stakeholders of the zone to speak up and desist from playing politics with the security of the zone and nation.
“Governors of South East have been calling on our leaders to speak out on the security of the zone and unity of Nigeria. I read on paper where someone said he was giving governors of South East 7-days to ban open grazing. The governors of southeast had banned open grazing and movement of cows by foot into South East in each of states of the zone. We are managing ourselves well. What we discuss with the herdsmen is the system in place for a long time”
The chairman of the southeast Governors’ Forum cautioned people of the zone against instigating crises in the country through the dissemination of fake videos alleging killing of Fulanis by IPOB in the South East. “What our people must know is that security is not political. What is demanded of the leaders is to put up programmess that favour the people and foster national unity”.
Umahi also announced his support for the call to flush out criminal elements from forests across the nation to boost the security of the country.
“In our forests today, we have the kidnappers, herdsmen, cultists, all sorts of criminals. Anybody staying in the forest is taking a risk when we say that people should move out of the forests. It is for their safety and security. So, I support that kidnappers, herdsmen, cultists, and bandits should be flushed out of our forests”.
We fully support the decision of S-East govs —MBF
Meanwhile, the Middle Belt Forum, MBF, has declared support for the decisions of the South East Governors to ban open grazing in region. National President of MBF, Dr. Pogu Bitrus who made the position of the forum known yesterday in Makurdi said it was time for Nigeria to adopt ranching as the best form of animal husbandry adding that it would help check the spate of farmers/herders conflicts in the country.
According to him, “the decision of the governors is a welcome development. Open grazing is archaic and abhors modern developmental trends which supports ranching all over the globe. “Open grazing does not improve the quality of meat neither does it improve the life span of the livestock. So it is creating unnecessary conflicts in Nigeria and in other parts where this practice is still on.
“Now, what we need in Nigeria is ranching which is a modern way of animal husbandry and we support the South East Governors fully because within the Middle Belt we have continued to advocate ranching as the best and acceptable way of animal husbandry.
“This is not only for stopping the raging conflicts but it will improve the economic well-being of the people including even that of the Fulanis.
“But one fact we pointed out is that we cannot ranch the cattle of foreign Fulani herders. That is our grouse. We said every community in Nigeria know their local Fulanis and those are the Fulanis that are supposed to be ranched in our communities.
“The West African free movement policy that allows foreign herders into our communities has to be checked because it is causing problems in Nigeria. And if we are adopting ranching, our neighbours will also have to, otherwise it is going to be more conflicts,” he added.
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