Herdsmen/ farmers conflict: Imo CAN rejects ranching
- The Christian Association of Nigeria has rejected ranching in Imo state
- CAN said the establishment of ranches in Imo state cannot be condoned
- According to the association, the alleged passage of ranching bill in the state is a cheap popularity game by lawmakers of the House of Assembly
The Imo state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) on Thursday, July 19, rejected plans for the establishment of ranches in the state.
The association reacting to reports of the state's House of Assembly passing a bill t o support ranching in the state said the bill is aimed at gaining cheap popularity.
Vanguard reports that the secretary of the Imo CAN, Reverend Eches Divine, said the lawmaker in the House wanted to use the bill to attract a favour.
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Divine said: “It has come to our notice that a member of the Imo State House of Assembly sponsored a grazing bill and for the establishment of ranching. This is a very important issue to Ndi Imo.
"Hence,when the information came to us as a body (CAN), we went into action by investigating the root of the matter," the secretary said.
Divine said after many calls, meetings and investigation into the matter, the association concluded the bill is not an executive one.
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He said: "After many calls and meetings in the last two days (July 17 and 18, 2018) we came to an understanding on the following: That the said bill is not an executive bill but rather sponsored by a member who is trying to use the bill to gain cheap popularity. That we have been assured by the leadership of the House through the CPS of Mr Speaker that the leadership of the House will soon dissociate itself from the said bill.
“That the Speaker having led the Southern Speakers Forum, last year, to reject such a bill, it will now amount to double standing if such bill happens to find its way through the back door to the House with same Speaker.
“That in line with our understanding with the leadership of the House through the CPS to Mr Speaker, a press statement disassociating the leadership of the House from the bill will be released today (yesterday) or before the end of this week to douse the tension generated by the said bill," Divine added.
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Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the United Nations had warned against the continuous conflicts between herders and farmers across some states in Nigeria.
A special representative of UN Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel, Mohamed Ibn Chambas, said the conflicts between herdsmen and farmers in Nigeria are becoming more sophisticated and deadlier.
Chambas, in a recent report presented to the UN Security Council, said the violence was a major security threat in the region, warning that it risks changing into terrorist attacks.
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Source: Legit.ng
