Plateau Youth protest planned creation of Grazing Reserves
Tue Jun 14, 2016 11:52:am National
2K By Buchi Obichie
On Monday, the Plateau State Government House was stormed by angry youths from the 17 Local Government Areas of the state, who were there to stage a protest against the alleged plan of Governor Simon Lalong, to make land in the state available to the Federal Government, for the creation of grazing reserves for Fulani herdsmen.
Operating on the platform of "Plateau G-17 Youths for Peace and Progress Forum", the protesting youths chided Lalong for not consulting with the people of Plateau State about the plan, and called on the government to rethink and retrace its step and delist Plateau from the states that had agreed to contribute land for grazing reserve.
Speaking with journalists, leader of the group, Dachung Bagos, said: "The Plateau State government must be careful not to take decisions that could mortgage our future and that of generations yet unborn with the likely consequences of further throwing the state into chaos as the policy has been rejected by majority of the people of the state. We wish to state, unequivocally that we are protesting against any form of land grabbing and exclusive privileges to any group under the guise of a government-sponsored grazing reserve policy. The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbe, said Plateau State is among other states that have agreed to contribute land for the purpose of the establishment of grazing reserves for cattle herders.
"From time immemorial, from the period of agriculture to the period of industrial development, land has remained the most valuable property in the life of a man and his development. It is a source of wealth to those who have it and the mother of all property. It is in response of this that we are gathered to peacefully protest the unilateral inclusion of Plateau State and demand that the state government under Governor Simon Lalong, rescind its decision on this obnoxious policy and follow the path of honour by removing Plateau from the list owing to the huge disadvantages the policy will have on the vast majority of the peace loving Plateau indigenes, who are predominantly farmers."
He added that: "Plateau has over the years witnessed incessant attacks and killings by groups known in official cycles as unknown herdsmen and should not be plunged into more bloodletting due to the insensitivity of government in embracing a policy that has heightened suspicion and tension across the state.
"Government must thread with utmost caution in view of the delicate nature of the policy at hand, which must be properly looked into and people should be allowed to either accept or reject it.
"We expect the government to seek support for the expansion of existing agricultural schemes in the state as a way of diversifying its economy rather than endorsing a controversial policy that will favour businessmen, who are pre dominantly not natives of Plateau State."
Operating on the platform of "Plateau G-17 Youths for Peace and Progress Forum", the protesting youths chided Lalong for not consulting with the people of Plateau State about the plan, and called on the government to rethink and retrace its step and delist Plateau from the states that had agreed to contribute land for grazing reserve.
Speaking with journalists, leader of the group, Dachung Bagos, said: "The Plateau State government must be careful not to take decisions that could mortgage our future and that of generations yet unborn with the likely consequences of further throwing the state into chaos as the policy has been rejected by majority of the people of the state. We wish to state, unequivocally that we are protesting against any form of land grabbing and exclusive privileges to any group under the guise of a government-sponsored grazing reserve policy. The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbe, said Plateau State is among other states that have agreed to contribute land for the purpose of the establishment of grazing reserves for cattle herders.
"From time immemorial, from the period of agriculture to the period of industrial development, land has remained the most valuable property in the life of a man and his development. It is a source of wealth to those who have it and the mother of all property. It is in response of this that we are gathered to peacefully protest the unilateral inclusion of Plateau State and demand that the state government under Governor Simon Lalong, rescind its decision on this obnoxious policy and follow the path of honour by removing Plateau from the list owing to the huge disadvantages the policy will have on the vast majority of the peace loving Plateau indigenes, who are predominantly farmers."
He added that: "Plateau has over the years witnessed incessant attacks and killings by groups known in official cycles as unknown herdsmen and should not be plunged into more bloodletting due to the insensitivity of government in embracing a policy that has heightened suspicion and tension across the state.
"Government must thread with utmost caution in view of the delicate nature of the policy at hand, which must be properly looked into and people should be allowed to either accept or reject it.
"We expect the government to seek support for the expansion of existing agricultural schemes in the state as a way of diversifying its economy rather than endorsing a controversial policy that will favour businessmen, who are pre dominantly not natives of Plateau State."
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