TheCable

Bala Mohammed, governor of Bauchi, says his state is ready for the Ruga settlement initiative of the federal government.

He disclosed this while speaking with state house correspondents in Abuja on Monday.

The federal government had introduced the initiative as part of measures to resolve the farmers-herders crisis but it has been rejected in different parts of the country.

On Sunday, Dave Umahi, governor of Ebonyi, said governors in the south-south and south-east would not cede any land for the settlement in their respective states.

But asked if Bauchi would adopt Ruga settlement, Mohammed said: “Yes. Because the population of Fulani in Bauchi is 60 or 70 percent. Therefore, we must leverage on all these. We have illiteracy, insurgency and so many things that are bombarding us in terms of social challenges and security challenges.”

With his pronouncement, Bauchi has joined other states that have keyed into the project.

The Ruga pilot states are Sokoto, Adamawa, Nasarawa, Kaduna, Kogi, Taraba, Katsina, Plateau, Kebbi, Zamfara and Niger.

On Sunday, Garba Shehu, presidential spokesman, said the settlement will be in an organised place with provision of necessary and adequate basic amenities such as schools, hospitals, road networks, vet clinics, markets and manufacturing entities.

He also added that the settlement is not for Fulani alone but cattle rearers across the country.

Shehu said the essence of the scheme is to curb open grazing of animals “that continue to pose security threats to farmers and herders”.