Benue PDP takes Alia to task on federal government's proposed cattle grazing reserve scheme

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The opposition Peoples Democratic Party in Benue State on Sunday challenged Governor Hyacinth Alia to tell the people of the state his stand on the Federal Government’s plan to establish a grazing reserve in the state.

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Opposition has grown against the plan to establish ranches in the state, with Nigerian Catholic Diocesan Priests, Makurdi Diocese, the PDP and other groups rejecting the proposal.

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Following the growing opposition to the grazing reserve, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Kula Tersoo, had called for caution, stating that Alia had not taken a position that was against the interest of the people of the state.

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Tersoo had said, “The governor is fully engaged on the matter and remains in consultation with the people and relevant authorities.

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“He will, as he has always done, approach the issue with careful consideration and strategic judgment, ensuring that the interests of Benue State and its people remain his foremost priority.”

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He argued that it was not every issue that required an immediate public pronouncement, as he advised the people to be patient as the government was considering the proposal and would soon determine the best course of action for the state.

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But the PDP, reacting to the statement credited to the governor’s aide, called on Alia to declare his position on the raging issue.

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“Tell Benue people where you belong,” the PDP stated in

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a statement issued on Sunday by its publicity secretary, Bright Antyo.

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The party noted that the continuous silence of the governor on the Federal Government’s decision to establish a grazing reserve in the state was a matter too serious for public relations language.

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The party stated that Benue communities had suffered killings, displacement and loss of ancestral land as a result of attacks on them by armed herders, noting that

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any proposal involving grazing reserves, livestock settlements or the allocation of land for ranching would naturally generate anxiety.

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“The fear among many Benue people is that what is being presented as a ranching programme could ultimately become a land grabbing scheme by another name.

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“Whether that fear is justified or not, the responsibility of the governor is to address it openly and unequivocally, not to tell worried Benue people to keep quiet while government ‘considers’ the proposal behind closed doors.

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“If there is nothing to hide, then there should be nothing difficult about telling Benue people exactly what is being proposed,” the party said.

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It, therefore, challenged the governor to personally state the position of his administration on the issue in unmistakable terms.

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