Constituency rejects creation of grazing reserve

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June 17, 2016 4:18 PM

Kaura constituency in the southern part of Kaduna State has rejected the proposed creation of grazing reserves in the area.

Hon Gideon Gwani

Member of the house of representative, representing Kaura federal constituency in the National Assembly, Hon Gideon Gwani, made the position of his constituency known to journalists on Friday, June 17, 2016.

Gwani condemned plans by the Kaduna state Governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufai to create grazing reserves in Southern Kaduna adding that the people of the area has rejected such a plan because they are not into cattle rearing.

The lawmaker said even though Section 43 of the Nigerian constitution stated that ownership and control of land is vested on the Government, added that for the interest of peace and development grasping reserves is not what the people of the area are yearning for.

“The Land Use Act chapter 202 laws of the federation of Nigeria further explained that land is vested in the hand of Government who would hold in trust for the people. If that is the case then the people are major stake holders in land matters in their territory hence government needs to consider or take into consideration the interest of the people and their community when it comes to land usage," the lawmaker said.

Hon Gwani further maintained that Southern Kaduna people are mainly subsistence crop farmers and not large scale cattle rearers as such he expected that the government would sight programmes according to the peculiarity of each area and not unilaterally where grazing reserves are sighted in the northern part of the country.

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