The Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON) Osita Okechukwu, has hailed President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision to suspend the planned RUGA settlement programme.
Okechukwu said by suspending the RUGA settlement programme, Buhari has acted statesmanly.
“I must commend him, not minding that the programme was a laudable one, but still went ahead to act on calls by well-meaning Nigerians to suspend it,” he said.
“This once again has shown that President Buhari is someone that listens and values the views of well-meaning Nigerians concerning national issues,’’ he added.
Okechukwu, who is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) explained that it takes a leader with the interest of his citizenry at heart to bend over even when there was nothing technically wrong with a well-thought-out national programme or policy.
“Since, well-meaning Nigerians suggest that there was a better way to treat the farmer-herders and animal rustling issues, Buhari as a good democrat is ready to listen.
Buhari on Wednesday had suspended the`Ruga Settlement’ Programme initiated by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture in preference for the National Economic Council’s (NEC) National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP).
Gov. David Umahi of Ebonyi disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents after a meeting of the NEC Committee of Farmers/Herders Crisis Chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
`Ruga Settlement’ is a rural settlement in which animal farmers/herders stay in an designated place provided with basic amenities such as schools, hospitals, road networks, vet clinics, markets among others.
However, the initiative had elicited nationwide controversy.
“This is because it is not consistent with the NEC and federal government’s approved NLTP,’’ Umahi added.
(NAN)