The Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, has condemned the proposed Federal Government’s Ruga farm settlement across the country.
PANDEF warned that Nigeria was towing the part of catastrophe by insisting on the establishment of the farm settlement across the country.
Recall that Buhari government had disclosed that it was working towards establishing Ruga settlements for herdsmen in 12 pilot states nationwide.
Mohammadu Umar, the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, made this known in Abuja recently.
However, PANDEF’s National Secretary, Alfred Mulade in a statement accused the federal government of making the “disturbing decision unilaterally”.
The body called on state governors in Niger Delta to reject the proposed settlement.
The statement reads: “It is capable of undermining the prevailing relative peace and security in the region.
“Without any equivocation, PANDEF strongly condemns the programme and hereby states that there is no land anywhere in the Niger Delta Region for the establishment of such settlements for herdsmen, “the statement read.
“It is quite disturbing that in a democracy, the Federal Government would unilaterally decide the establishment of Ruga settlements or cattle colonies.
“It is necessary to note that the Land Use Act, enacted in 1978 to regulate land tenure and administration systems, and to ensure effective and equitable utilization of land and land resources in the country, vests all urban land within a state in the state governor, and all non-urban land in the local governments in which they are found.
“This disrespect to the Rule of Law with impunity and authoritarianism neither fits into the practice of Democracy nor supports Mr. President’s recent recommendation of True Federalism for Nigeria.
“In fact, along with the re-submission of the Inland Waterways Bill and the approval of a Radio frequency for the establishment of Radio stations for herdsmen by the Federal Government, there is only one inescapable conclusion, and that is, Nigeria is towing a catastrophic destiny.”
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