With Uche Nnadozie
The name came like a thief in the night. In fact it bounces on us with so much rudeness, swaggering along like a base ball- furious in all material particular. As expected, ethnic and religious merchants pounced on it and tore it to shreds with all sorts of anecdotes, lies and fabrications. We had not even had a proper press conference, but people who are all-knowing already knew the end from the whiff yet always claim not to be God. The Ruga settlement whether as Rural Grazing Area or A Fulani settlement caused what I think is an unnecessary chaos in the polity last week. To much so that the Federal Government had to backpedal or indeed “suspended” the programme for another one: National Livestock Transformation Plan, NLTP. This plan is coordinated by the office of the Vice President as approved by the National economic Council.
No question about the poor handling of the programme whether Ruga of the now somewhat accepted NLTP by the federal government. It appears there is dissonance in policy communication and coordination at the presidency otherwise how do you have two programmes for the same problem by the same government at the same time? There is therefore no synergy in how the country governance. The discordant tune aptly point to something deeper; a clear case of dysfunction at the highest level of government in our country. The NLTP was approved in January 2019 after extensive deliberations and the setting up of a subcommittee chaired by the Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi. Umahi’s committee it was who recommended the NLTP and it was adopted six months ago.
Understandably, election was the very next month (February). Consequently we did not hear anything about the programme again. This is how we are. Policies are developed such that it appears as a pacifist template. We do not spend time to gestate or even prime stakeholders. Stakeholders here include everyone on the value chain. From the bankers, to doctors, extension officers, engineers, funders, land owners, dams etc. there is also the second level: the middle category users or factories if you may, those that will set up milk parlors, tanneries, abattoirs, etc. there would also be canned meat factories, can makers, packagers, born crushers, fire extinguishing factories, button makers, manure, etc. the truth is, the livestock business is huge and presents us with a lot of jobs and opportunities. There is also the goat, sheep and such animal that will become part of the plan. The milk from goat is better treasured than the cattle.
Therefore such a huge business prospect is not what you sneak up on us with. It requires a lot of business sessions, information, investor luncheons, and road shows to make the major stakeholders in this business which are the herders as at today to accept this model. This is by showing them the realities and opportunities in the business they think is only for the production of beef. Such events would have provided opportunities for truthful and fruitful discussions about ownership, expectations and reward. I have heard people say Fulani herdsmen will not want to stay in a place as they are born itinerant. But that is not true. Yes in the beginning it will be difficult, but when they begin to see the result, they will key in. it will take years therefore the best time to start is now.
On the other hand, I’m not stupid. As human beings living in a country with so much violence it is unfair to disparage every government proposal on the altar of partisan political interest. The argument that if implemented, the Fulani will “seize” lands from outside their homeland is preposterous. How? Will they carry the land back to their homelands? Lands in Nigeria belong to the states that they are found. It is only a governor that has powers to cede land to anyone. In this case nobody is “ceding” land. Any land taken by government has tenure. Besides those that will use the land will sign an agreement on how the place will be used and the status of those using the facility. All the workers, users or cooperatives in each of the Ruga or ranch will pay for using the facility. In fact the land will always belong to the state. This is like saying a land upon which a government residential estate is built belongs to those who bought or owns houses in the estate now own the land. No, that’s not true.
Also saying that livestock production in the manner that we have seen with the Fulani is a private business as such government must not invest money there. False! Those pushing this narrative are being mischievous. Why should government not invest in livestock production? Apart from the obvious security risk the continuous trade in that business is causing, the fact that they produce the largest amount of our protein intake makes it a cause for worry if we continue to put their worries as non issue. Ruga or ranches apart from helping to resolve farmer conflicts, it’s a way of ensuring our national food security goals. We can’t have a population of 200 million people and still rising yet keep a chaotic, low productive, informal, livestock business that won’t feed us in the next ten years if we continue what we are doing presently. Government must intervene. When rice became an issue, government put aside N500 billion to help rice farmers. Till date at least 1 million rice farmers strut their stuff out there. The same goes for improved seedlings; fertilizers etc. outside agriculture, government help banks. In the last ten years, government has invested over N1 trillion in Nigerian banks to prevent them from failing. Same investment has gone to airlines, traders, transporters etc. why not herders? Are they not Nigerians? The profiling of ethnic Fulani in our country is counterproductive and therefore must stop. The plan is optional; and I do not see any reason why southern states should not own ranches. If there were no Fulanis won’t southerners eat beef? The first ranch in Nigeria was established by government in Obudu, present day Cross River State.
