A member of the House of Representatives representing Kaura constituency of Kaduna State, Hon. Gideon Gwani, has condemned in strong terms a planned move by the Kaduna state Governor, Mallam Nasiru El-Rufai to create grazing reserves in Southern Kaduna.
Speaking to DAILY POST on Friday, he explained that even though Section 43 of the Nigerian constitution stated that ownership and control of land was vested in the state government, “the land use act chapter 202 laws of the federation of Nigeria further explained that land is vested in the government who would hold it in trust for the people.
“If that is the case then the people are major stakeholders in land matters in their territory hence government needs to consider or take into consideration the interest of the people and their community when it comes to land usage,” he observed.
Hon Gwani further maintained that Southern Kaduna people were mainly subsistence farmers and not cattle rearers, as such, the government should implement programmes according to the peculiarity of each area and not unilaterally where grazing reserves are sited in the northern part of the country.
He maintained that land in the southern part should be used for large scale mechanized farming instead of causing unnecessary friction between farmers and cattle rearers.
The lawmaker also cited insecurity as another challenge for not encouraging grazing reserve in the southern part of the State.
“As a lawmaker and a major stakeholder in Kaduna State, I was not consulted by the governor on the issue at stake in order to make my view and that of my people to inform the governor the position of my people,” he lamented.
While assessing his one year in office as a federal lawmaker, he said, “I have made laws that would better my immediate constituency and the country at large. Within a year, I have sponsored seven bills on the floor of the house and co-sponsored others among the highest so far in the 8th assembly.
“Among the bills I have passed, all have past the various stages and are awaiting presidential assent. I have also given employment to some women and youths in my constituency, empowerment projects, community development projects, among many others,” he added.
“I am also constantly in touch with my constituents as a true representative of my people in order to avail myself with the true position of their feelings concerning the situation in the country as it affects them,” Gwani stated.
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