Rivers State Government has vowed not to participate in the Federal Government’s Ruga settlements for herdsmen.
The state government in a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information, Paulinus Nsirim, noted that the state has no land for the implementation of such a policy.
It said the second term of Governor Nyesom Wike has prioritised commercial agriculture, hence all available arable land in the state will be needed to drive commercial agriculture across the state to create employment for Rivers youths.
The state government emphasised that it has not given any approval for the siting of Ruga settlements anywhere in Rivers State. It added that no such approval will come from the Rivers State government for the Ruga settlements.
The statement reiterated that Governor Wike will continue to defend the interest of Rivers people, who have overwhelmingly rejected cattle colonies, Ruga settlements and any such policy.
He advised Rivers indigenes to join the state government to protect all arable lands by reporting any form of encroachment under whatever guise.
Wike need not to be vociferous about RUGA in RS. Indeed there are very limited arable land in the State; the larger available are swamps, creeks that are laced with mangrove forests.
May be Wike should propose RUGA settlement on the creeks and mangrove forests; it could serve best as the cattles, the cowboys and cowgirls will have more than enough space, water and mangrove feeds to rely on.
Kudos to Wike for his stand