Lucky Obukohwo Reporting
The Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), in Benue State has lauded the decision by Governor Hyacinth Alia to sustain the ban on open grazing of livestock in the state as his predecessor did.
The party also urges him to march his words with actions.
The party made the commendation in a statement signed by the State Publicity Secretary, Bemgba Iortyom in Makurdi.
Governor Alia had at his first State Security Council meeting held at Government House, Makurdi, on June 22, 2023, warned animal rearers to stop open grazing in the state, citing the subsistence of the law prohibiting the practice, and called all to respect the law.
The Prohibition of Open Grazing and Ranches Establishment Law (2017) was enacted and put to force in the state by the administration of Samuel Ortom and served as a substantial bulwark against the influx of herdsmen and their cattle into the state; they grazed openly and in the process allegedly perpetrated killings of farmers.
PDP recalled “that while campaigning, however, Governor Alia had openly criticised the law as being the problem rather than the solution to the intractable issue of herdsmen atrocities in the state, promising to review it and in some instances insinuating its outright ban if voted into office as governor.
“Following closely on the heels of such utterances of Governor Alia, there ensued a large influx of herdsmen and their cattle into the state shortly after the last elections resulting in renewed killings of farmers and destruction of properties including farms.
“Today we welcome the governor’s stand and urge him to back his words regarding his new stand with action by getting those herdsmen willing to embrace ranching to take to the practice immediately, while those unwilling to do so should leave the state.”
The PDP cautioned Governor Alia against paying mere lip service to the atrocities of armed herdsmen in the state, “as addressing it decisively remains the sine qua non to a successful return of displaced persons to their ancestral lands, which he may wish to recall was one of his numerous campaign promises.”