No To RUGA Settlements!

Just last month, barely few weeks after his swearing in for a second term as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government began hurried effort to perfect implementation of the Rural Grazing Area (RUGA) programme initiated by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and approved by the former Federal Executive Council (FEC) and National Economic Council (NEC) under the “National Livestock Transformation Programme”, ostensibly aimed at establishing Fulani settlements in “willing states” to “resolve” the festering farmers/herders clashes across the country.
The implementation of RUGA, under the supervision of the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, comes on the heels of heightened tension across the country with the largest Christian community in Africa, of surreptitious plots by the Federal Government to Islamise and ‘Fulanise’ Nigeria, in violation of the objective principles and tenets of the Constitution recognizing the territory as a “Secular State”.
Indeed, the controversial scheme, smartly conceived as a platform for the rehabilitation of Internally Displaced Persons as a result of the farmers/herders’ crisis, and factored as a basis for the development of ranches in any willing state of the federation, has been stoutly resisted by more than 25 states. Even a section of the population in the 11 states alleged to have given “consent” to the establishment of cattle colonies or ranches in their states, has shown infectious opposition to any programme designed to grant herdsmen special status and public-funding privilege in any form or guise.
Expressing the stark opposition of Rivers people to RUGA, Governor Nyesom Wike, last Tuesday, said that his government had not given any approval for the siting of RUGA settlements anywhere in Rivers State, because the state had no land for the implementation of such a policy, as it needs available arable land to drive its commercial agriculture policy to fast-track economic diversification, boost youth empowerment and job creation, and improve revenue generation for the betterment of the people. The Governor reiterated that he “will continue to defend the interest of Rivers people who have overwhelmingly rejected cattle colonies, RUGA settlements and any such policy”, and “advised Rivers people to join the State Government to protect all arable lands by reporting any form of encroachment under whatever guise” to appropriate authorities for immediate action.
Wike is not alone in this. The Ijaw Youth Council, Pan-Niger Delta Forum, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Yoruba Council of Elders and Afenifere, Middle Belt Elders’ Forum, and a collection of all Southern and Middle Belt leaders, have unanimously condemned the move by the Federal Government to revamp the old grazing reserves, and deploy the N2.26 billion Grazing Reserve Budget, in addition to other extra-budgetary allocations, to fund the devilish plan, describing the veiled policy as another confirmation of the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration’s design to Islamise and ‘Fulanise’ Nigeria, which must be resisted at all cost.
The Tide completely agrees with Wike and other leaders across the country, who had voiced unambiguous opposition to the Presidency’s push for Federal Government’s direct or indirect involvement in efforts to give herders an uneven advantage in their private business of cattle breeding and sales. Just as we clearly condemned the Federal Government for initiating the idea of lobbying state governments on behalf of Miyetti Allah and other herders for the creation of special colonies or grazing areas for cattle across the country early in 2018 as a possible solution to the farmers/herders’ clashes, we still restate our opposition to this new coinage: “RUGA”, as its intents and purposes are the same.
We vehemently condemn the Buhari-led Federal Government, not just for pushing the implementation of this dangerous policy, but for showing to Nigerians that it places more importance on cattle than human lives. We know for a fact that the harbinger of farmers/herders’ crisis is not the dearth of grazing land for cattle in states of origin or residence of their owners, as there are large enough fertile forests in the North-East and North-West for cattle grazing, just as there is enough water in the Northern Belt for the cattle to drink. After all, there are thousands of irrigation and mechanized farmers in the North who are doing fantastically well in their agricultural ventures.
But fundamentally important is the fact that the Federal Government has no business intervening and lobbying for cattle rearers to spread their tentacles across all cities and communities in the country. Similarly, the Buhari Presidency has no legal obligation to allocate tax-payers’ funds for the establishment of cattle colonies, grazing reserves or RUGA settlements anywhere in Nigeria, as cattle breeding and sales are purely private business opportunities and choices that people make for their interests in life. Therefore, lobbying for cattle breeders to have choice fertile lands and fresh water belts clearly amounts to favouring one business class over millions of others.
This is patently why we had and still argue that establishing ranches by cattle owners is the way to go. As private business owners, who decide the price of their goods and services, cattle breeders, if they are genuine entrepreneurs with clear passion and drive, should approach state governments or communities for lands on lease, and on agreement and payment of appropriate fees, must build facilities in line with best global practices for their ranches. Such ranches will definitely create job opportunities, boost economic growth and contribute to national development through payment of appropriate taxes, royalties, levies and fees.
Relying on the Grazing Reserve Act of 1964 to promote RUGA settlements in the 21st Century is unacceptable. We, therefore, advise the Federal Government to completely hands off this unpopular programme in the interest of unity, peace, equity and justice for all. Merely suspending implementation of the RUGA programme is absolutely not enough. It must take a step further by, without further delay, cancelling the entire idea. Even the ultimatum by the so-called Coalition of Northern Groups to the Presidency to rescind its decision to suspend the policy, should be seen as an affront, and treated as a treasonable offence, punishable under the law. Besides, we challenge the Buhari administration to arrest and prosecute armed herders, who engage in wanton killing of farmers, raping of women and abduction of children under whatever pretext. This is one way to prove that the fight against insecurity is borne out of a genuine desire.