Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasil el-Rufai, has urged his southern counterparts not to waste time on anti-open grazing law that cannot be implemented.
He spoke at the headquarters of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Abuja.
Governor el-Rufai revealed that since there were over 14 grazing reserves in Kaduna State he would want to convert into ranching, he would be glad if Federal Government can support his state with N140 billion to develop the 14 grazing reserves.
The former FCT minister warned his southern counterparts that it was unhelpful politicising anti-open grazing law and passing legislation that they know cannot be implemented.
On the controversial law on open grazing, he said: “The Northern Governors Forum has already taken a position that open grazing is not a sustainable way of livestock production. And we must move towards ranching. But moving towards ranching cannot be done overnight. We have to have a plan, we have to have resources and we have to implement it sensibly. It is not a matter of populist legislation or saying tomorrow this or that. It is not a solution.
“We have taken a position as northern state governors and we are implementing that. And in my state for instance, we are developing a huge ranch to centralise the herders. And that is the solution, a long time. But can it be done overnight? No”, he said.
“This project we are doing will cost us about N10 billion. The CBN is supporting us with about N7.5 billion. And it will take about two years to do. We will be settling about 1500 Fulani herders family. And I hope that they will see that there are alternative ways of producing livestock instead of running up and down with cattle going to people’s farms to cause all kinds of problems. We want to solve the problem.
