RUGA: Buhari-led Government Not Sincere – Fulani Pastoralists

The Kulen Allah Cattle Rearers Association of Nigeria (KACRAN) on Friday declared that it is clear to its members that the Federal Government is not sincere and ready to resolve the problems of the Nigeria’s Pastoralists by extending its implementation to the Southern part of the country.

KACRAN particularly question the rationale of the Federal Government in including the Southern part of the country which has nothing to do with pastoralism in the implementation of the now-suspended RUGA Settlement programme.

National President of KACRAN, Khalil Mohammed Bello, who stated these in a statement made available to journalists in Damaturu, the Yobe state capital and made available to Forefront News, also accused the Buhari-led federal government of failing to solve pastoralists’ problems in Nigeria which explains explains the suspension of controversial RUGA Settlement programme.

Bello further said; “The non-inclusion of Kano, Jigawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Yobe and some part of Borno States, was another indication that the RUGA programme was not meant as permanent solution to Nigerian Pastoralists problems.

“We said so, for the fact that, these are the States that supplied meat to the Southern part of the country, and which have several grazing reserves for pastoralism and are ready to accept the program for implementation, but were excluded from it, why?

“I wish to state that, after through observation and general assessment of the government’s suspended RUGA programme, we understand that, government was not sincere or ready to solve the problems of Nigeria’s Pastoralists. That was why the program generated a lot of controversy and failed to be implemented.

“From the very beginning, the Federal government did not introduce the program as one of its economic or agricultural policies or projects. The project was initiated hastily and furiously as a child of necessity to be used for temporal solution of Farmers/Herders conflicts.”

Bello explained that for any programme to be successful, the target group must be involved in its planning adding that in the case of the Ruga scheme, the federal government failed to involve critical stakeholders in the designing of the scheme.

In his words; “Instead of engaging the critical stakeholders concern, government singlehandedly epitomised its programme and wanted to implement it nationwide without proper consideration on how the implementation will be a successful one.

“The project was unnecessarily extended to Southern part of this country, who have nothing to do with pastoralism, for implementation, forgetting the fact that, there was no availability of land there. As a result, they strongly rejected the execution of the program in totality.

“We consider the extension as a serious mistake or political blunders. Because KACRAN don’t want to see a single cow moving from Northern part of this country to Southern part unless in a heavy truck vehicle, on their way to the Southern part of the country’s cattle markets.

“Had it been, the government is serious, in its RUGA programme, it would only restrict it in the Northern states of the country, which have gazetted grazing reserves and availability of land surface.”

“The RUGA program in its plan, focuses on executing projects such as building houses, Schools, recreation centers etc, which are not priority to our pastoralists, rather than focusing on widening the scope of the pasture and water provision.

“Because no matter how beautiful you build structures for pastoralists, if there is no availability of pasture and water, they would certainly abandon that place and move to where water and pasture are,” Bello said.

KACRAN further said that said that naming the programme as RUGA is another indication that government conceived and approved the programme without considering parties involved.

In his words; “Had it been we were consulted during the conceptualization of the program, the name RUGA will not be suggested. We would have suggested DURDUDE, that is vegetation or grazing area as the program’s name which would be easily understood and acceptable to the pastoralists.