Grazing reserves gazette: Jang owes Plateau people apology — Longyen

Mr. Mark Longyen is the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State. In this interview with Vanguard in Jos, he bares his mind on the recent altercations between Lalong and his predecessor, Senator Jonah
Jang, stressing that Jang should apologise to the people of the state for approving a gazette in 2009 for the creation of grazing reserves and grazing routes in the state, among myriad issues.

Recently, some groups in Plateau State protested the state government’s alleged adoption of the Grazing Reserves/Ranching Policy of the Federal Government. What is the true position of your government on the issues at stake?

 There is nothing like a grazing reserve policy either at the level of contemplation or implementation by the state government.

 What the state government keyed into was the Ranching Policy of the Federal Government, which was initiated by the Goodluck Jonathan administration. A Committee of former state governors earlier chaired by ex- Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam, had proposed Grazing Reserves or Ranches, but many opted for the latter. Incidentally, the time for its implementation fell under the Buhari administration. States were given the option of keying into either Grazing or Ranching policy and Plateau State opted for Ranching. I think two things were responsible for the protests. 

One was pure ignorance about the content of the two distinct policies, while the other was sheer political mischief orchestrated by the Governor’s political opponents, who saw in the controversy the opportunity to score cheap political points by rubbishing the Lalong government and its decision to key into the policy. Socio-economic benefits they did not even take the pain to acquaint themselves with the content of the Policy and its attendant socio-economic benefits to the people. 

The Governor had only set up a 14-man committee chaired by a renowned professor of Agriculture and former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Jos, Prof. Ochapa Onazi; and other experts like Professor Sharubutu, an expert in animal husbandry; Prof John Wade, an expert in fishery; Prof. CJ Dakas, SAN, among others with the mandate to meet with the Minister of Agriculture to get further details about the Ranching Policy prior to its implementation. Suddenly, like a bolt out of the blues, some people were instigated to protest against what they described as “Grazing Reserves Policy.” They did not and some still do not want to understand its component and the difference between Ranching and Grazing reserve.

 The second part was the handiwork of political mischief makers, who campaigned vigorously to rubbish the government through lies and falsehood in order to make political capital of the situation. When People hear of Grazing reserves what comes to their mind is Fulani herdsmen because Fulani herdsmen are known for grazing and so when they are deceived that the policy is for Grazing reserves they assume it is a policy that will lead to the government forcefully taking their lands away from them and giving them to the Fulani who would now graze on them. Now, following the committee’s report and wide consultations with traditional rulers, religious leaders, youth leaders, lawmakers at state level and National Assembly, etc., government is studying the report with a view to implementing the Ranching Policy, not Grazing Reserves. Funding support Ranching is completely different from grazing reserves, as ranching entails getting a piece of land with funding support from both the Federal and state governments for those who are interested in caging their livestock. It does not necessary have to be cows, it can be goats, sheep, pigs, poultry and, perhaps, dogs in future and they will be taken care of through the provision of excellent facilities like veterinary services, security, dams for water, etc., with lots of attendant benefits.

And this, you know, is part of the empowerment programs found in the Five-Point Policy Thrust of the APC Government in the state, which the opposition do not want to hear. On the recent altercation between Governor Lalong and Senator Jang over the grazing policy and grazing reserves gazette allegedly approved by the Jang administration whatever the Governor said, was based on the security report before him. 

An Executive Governor is not like an ordinary citizen on the street, he has a lot of security information at his disposal and for him to have pointedly accused his predecessor of being behind the protests, and he must have gotten some credible security information for which he cannot be faulted. But even the timing of the protests, which commenced barely 24 hours after Jang released a statement which smacked of one who was not speaking from a well-informed position, wantonly condemning the Policy, was very suspicious. 

A keen observer of what happened at that time will definitely point an accusing finger at the Senator, devoid of any security information. So, the Senator was a suspect based on the timing of the press release and the political leaning of those who championed the protests. He issued a statement, then the next day there were protests all over the state and they were clearly led by his political allies.

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