A frontline governorship aspirant in Oyo State, Dr Yunus Akintunde, has warned Oyo State against adopting ranching in the state.
He advises Governor Abiola Ajimobi against it, saying it may be counter-productive.
According to Akintunde, who is a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, said the fund earnmarked for the project can be used for other useful projects that will have direct impacts on Nigeria and Nigerians.
Oyo, It would be recalled, is one of the states listed by the federal government for the project.
Like poultry business, Akintunde explained, cattle owners should be made to set up their own ranch by first signing an agreement with land owners, adding that “it is worrisome that funds are used to establish a business venture for a group of individual businessmen at the detriment of others.”
“There should be policies to educate Fulani herdsmen to understand that cattle rearing is like other Agro-allied businesses like poultry where you are responsible for the cattle you keep,” he said.
A statement by his Media Office reads: “Everywhere, especially in Nigeria, our people don’t take the issue of their lands with levity. We have seen cases where people lease land to users only to be hijacked from them later by crook means.
“Already, our people have been pushed to the wall. If not for the nature of our people, they would have reacted. In several towns, especially in my hometown of Oyo and our neighbouring Okeogun, herdsmen have continuously wrecked havoc unabated. Our people have been killed and wounded. They have been displaced from their ancestral lands.
“Our leaders, especially the Yoruba among them, have expressed displeasure over the plan. We know they may want to use federal power but it will be temporary. What the federal government can do is policies. It is not even the function of the federal government to own cattle ranch because the land belongs to the states,” the statement concluded.
Speaking on restructuring, Akintunde who is a former commissioner, noted that it will be to the merit of every region in Nigeria if the country is restructured.
