RANCHING: Northern Governors Seek Grant From FG

The Northern Governors Forum is seeking for grants from the Federal Government after it declared readiness towards cattle ranching as a means of curbing the incessant herders/farmers crisis in the North and other parts of the country.

Chairman of the forum, Simon Lalong, while speaking on Channels Television’s News @ 10, on Tuesday, noted that some states in the region were ready with land but need funds.

Lalong who is the Plateau State Governor, added that the they have been in support of ranching for quite some time.

The governor admitted that the rising insecurity in the northern region and other parts of the country, could be linked to cattle rustling.

Reacting to quit notices issued to Fulani herdsmen in some Southern parts of the nation recently, Lalong said the only way to restore normalcy is to establish ranching across the country.

“We were advising the federal government to also give grants to states that are ready with land.

“We are not saying that it is compulsory for states that are not ready. But many states in the North are ready.

“We need some grants to start so that these people will not be moving here and there. We need to also keep them in one place. It’s business. So definitely, that’s the only way to control the insecurity.”

Lalong, revealed that all stakeholders, including members of cattle herders associations across the country, were on board with the idea of ranching.

“But there is this lack of funds to the state, there is lack of encouragement to the state,” he said.