gThe Plateau State Chapter of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), has warned the State House of Assembly over what the group considered as obnoxious, bias, anti herdsmen plans to pass Livestock Transformation Programme (SLTP) Bill, stating that it woukd plunge the Plateau into another round of rather avoidable crisis.
The Fulani group has called on the Speaker of the state Assembly, Hon Yakubu Sanda and other members to have a rethink and have the rather obnoxious bill suspended in the general interest of the state.
Chairman of MACBAN, Malam Muhammad Nuru Abdullahi and the legal adviser of the association, Barr. Salisu Isah Muhammad in a press conference Tuesday, in Jos the Plateau State capital called on the members of the State House of Assembly to have a rethink and suspend the bill for the general interest of the State and her citizens.
According to MACBAN, “the bill is disgusting,” stating that, “We are stakeholders in this field.
“On the 25th January, 2022, l received a phone call that I was invited for a meeting of the public hearing at old Government House Rayfield to present our stand in this bill, which we told the committee that we are not ready because we don’t know anything about the bill. We need to study it and put our heads together and come up with a position.”
“So they gave us one week, which is on the 2nd February, 2022. We presented our position on the bill. We addressed our position to the Plateau State House of Assembly, the speaker Plateau State House of Assembly through the chairman public hearing committee who is the deputy speaker Plateau State House of Assembly that this is the stance of MACBAN.
“Having consulted with stakeholders and professionals, we unanimously reject the bill for the following reasons: The bill, which provides issuance, procedures for obtaining ranching permit, ranch land lease and getting the ranch permit, the permit will be difficult for the Fulani herders to get considering the discriminatory tendencies to the Fulani herders on the Plateau.
“Our fears on the bill is centered on the offenses and penalties which is meant to rob and annihilate Fulani herders of their lawful belongings through the enactment and enforcement of the bill when it becomes law.
“This will cause revolt and serious breach of law and order, which the Fulani herders are afraid of citing Benue where the law is in practice,” he said.
MACBAN, however, said as peace loving citizens of the State, “we call on the government to redirect the resources meant for the project to other developmental programmes that will impact positively on the development of the state.