The Enugu State Government has debunked claims that it plans to establish a Ruga settlement in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of the state.
According to The PUNCH, government’s decision followed protest by residents of Nimbo Community against the state government’s plan to establish Ruga in their community for herdsmen after they had invaded and killed 40 people in the community.
The Commissioner for Information, Mr Aka Eze Aka, in a statement, described the reports and videos of a few individuals purportedly protesting government’s alleged plan to set up Ruga at Nimbo in Uzo Uwani LG as the handiwork of manipulators and political losers, who want to run the administration down for political gains.
Titled “Ranch is Not Ruga”, the commissioner stated “The attention of government has been drawn to insinuations and utter misrepresentation by some individuals of the good initiative of government to use ranch to further stem the tide of kidnapping and clashes between our border people and the herders.
Enugu State Government is not engaging in any RUGA project in any part of the state and shall not do so. RANCH IS NOT RUGA.
“It has become necessary to explain matters regarding the design to use ranching, a modern method all over the world, to rear cattle.
“The recent viral messages and outcry of a few persons against what they construed as government intention to take over a portion of land in Uzo-Uwani LGA and give out to Fulanis in the guise of RUGA is but the unfortunate machination of those who wished to make a mountain out of mole hill for political reasons.
“The intention of government is clear on the matter. Armed bandits and kidnappers in the name of herders have for long taken advantage of our forests and farmland to commit heinous crimes, abduction, rape and killings.
“The government of Enugu State has resolved to put a stop to these and introduce ranching, the most modern way of rearing cattle.”
