Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has dismissed reports that he supports RUGA by applying for funds meant to implement the policy being forced on Nigerians by the Federal Government.
Harping on the development, Ortom insisted that the state is only working in line with the recommendations as contained in the National Livestock Transformation Plan, NLTP document as approved by the National Economic Council, NEC to enhance ranching and not for RUGA settlements.
He gave this clarification Monday while fielding questions from newsmen at the Makurdi Airport on his return from the PDP National Convention in Abuja.
According to him, those who were linking the state with applying for money for RUGA were doing so out of mischief and to twist facts to please their masters and cause problems in the state.
The Benue number one citizen maintained that the position of the people and Government of Benue was very clear on the plan to foist RUGA, Cattle Colony, Open Grazing and Farm settlements on the people of the state, all of which have roundly being rejected.
Ortom said “the position of Benue State is very clear on RUGA, Cattle Colony, Open Grazing and Farm settlements. We have not hidden anything. We have said it openly that we have a law in place prohibiting open grazing. RUGA is another form of open grazing but all in the name of trying to steal and take over our lands. It is the same thing with cattle colony and we rejected it”.
He recalled that “when we were not ready to give them permission for land, they came here and decided to erect one RUGA signpost in Zone C, another one in Zone B and another on in Zone A and we said no and Benue people went there and pulled down the sign boards”.
The Governor called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC and other anti corruption agencies to go after those who were paid money upfront for RUGA and recover it since the programme failed.
