Anti-open grazing law unimplementable, Kaduna needs N114b for ranching says El-Rufai.

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The Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai has said the anti-open grazing law enacted by the Southern governors is unimplementable says the solution to the herdsmen crisis in Nigeria is ranching but cannot be achieved overnight.
El-Rufai made this known while speaking with the newsmen during a visit to the National Secretariat of All Progressives Congress, in Abuja, on Tuesday.

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He also added that Kaduna State would require at least N114 billion to set up 14 ranches to fully settle the herders and their families.
He said, “The northern state governors forum has already taken a position that open grazing is not a sustainable way of livestock production.  And we must move towards ranching.

“But moving towards ranching cannot be done overnight.  We have to have a plan; we have to have resources and we have to implement it sensibly. It is not a matter of populist legislation or saying tomorrow this or that. It is not a solution. We have taken a position as northern state governors and we are implementing that.

“And in my state, for instance, we are developing a huge ranch to centralize the herders. And that is the solution, a long time. But can it be done overnight? No.”

“This project we are doing will cost us about 10 billion naira. The CBN is supporting us with about N7.5billion. And it will take about two years to do.  I have 14 grazing reserves in Kaduna State and I will like to convert them into ranching. Do I have 14 times 10 billion nairas? I don’t have.
“If the federal government will give me a hundred and fourteen billion, I will convert the other thirteen into ranches and make sure that nobody comes out with a cow or sheep in Kaduna State because I will have enough ranches to take care of everybody.  That is the solution. You can legislate but let us wait and see. And I wish them the best of luck.”

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