You splash over 6 billion naira on Katsina for ranching, Benue needs 100 billion naira

By Yusuf Adua

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Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state has faulted President Buhari of deceit and hypocrisy with regard to his position on open grazing for cattle,

Governor Ortom unravelled this indictment at an interview when commenting on the reports that Mr.President had approved over #6 Billion for ranching in his home state Katsina to create cattle ranches while canvassing for cattle routes and open grazing in other states of the federation.

He spoke at the Makurdi Airport today, Saturday.

The governor maintained that the Federal Government needed to apologise to him and extend the same gesture of financial disbursement to Benue State by releasing N100billion for the establishment of ranches in his state.

“So Mr. President approved N6.5billion for ranching in Katsina state. What kind of hypocrisy is this? Are we a serious country at all?” Governor Ortom queried.

“If the President would say that the Attorney General of the Federation should ensure the relocation of those who have encroached on cattle routes and grazing areas to do open grazing despite the surge in the population from less than 40 million in 1950 and the over 200million people today; and the same President is encouraging ranching in Katsina state where he comes from, that is certainly laughable and very hypocritical and deceitful”, he stated.

To the governor, “we need an explanation because it is a shame. Since 2017 we have been for ranching and of course, you recall that the Governor of Katsina state did say that it is un-Islamic for anybody to talk about open grazing”.

He restated that the prohibition of open grazing was the only thing that would help the country including the provision for ranching, therefore, the approval of over N6billion for Katsina state should directly mean that N100billion to be allocated for Benue state with an apology to him as the governor of the state.

Governor Ortom also took time to protest against the federal government’s decision of approving money for ranching in a state and leaving others out and wondered why a huge some of #5 billion was already remitted to the state describing the action as that of a confused fellow.