FG Says Cattle Colonies To Begin Next Week, As N’Delta Group Demands ‘Oil And Gas Colony’

  The Federal Government remains defiant in its decision to pursue the establishment of cattle colonies across the country in spite of the widespread criticism and pushback, stating that as from next week, work would commence towards attaining the goal.

  Audu Ogbeh, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, who disclosed this when he visited the agriculture and veterinary complex of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, made it clear that states which were not interested in the idea would be exempted.

 Following killings by herdsmen in various parts of the country, the government had proposed the establishment of cattle colonies as the long-term solution.

But some states, including Benue, Ogbeh’s state, have strongly rejected the idea.

Defending the proposal, Ogbeh said it was part of the resolutions by the committee set up to find lasting a solution to the killings.

  Meanwhile, a Niger-Delta youth group has reacted to the federal government’s cattle colony idea, requesting the establishment of an ‘oil and gas colony’ to balance things up.

Youths from Ijaw extraction in the nine states of the Niger Delta, while condemning the killings going on across the country by suspected Fulani herdsmen, called on the government to rise up to the challenge and also proposed an oil and gas colony for the Niger-Delta region.

The youths made their position known under the auspices of Niger Delta Youth Leadership Forum.

  The National President, PANDLEAF, Richard Akinaka, expressed these positions during a press conference heralding the inauguration of the Bayelsa State chapter of PANDLEAF in Yenagoa on Saturday.

 "He said the issue of establishing colonies for herdsmen was wrong, insisting that it was the responsibility of herdsmen as private business people to shoulder the responsibility of advancing their business interests and not that of the government".