The Northern Governors’ Forum, on Tuesday unanimously said the Federal Government should provide funding for the establishment of ranches across the region.
In an appearance on Channels Television, the Chairman, Simon Lalong, Governor of Plateau state, said the governors have been pining for ranching for a while.
The rise of banditry, according to him, further makes it important that ranching offers the best solution to insecurity.
“We were advising the federal government to also give grants to states that are ready with land,” he said.
“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.”
The Plateau governor also said that all stakeholders including members of the 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.
Mr. Lalong noted, the Plateau State Government has readied 74,000 hectares for the ranching exercise but needs funding to develop the project.
“When you start restricting people, you must provide alternatives,” he said