Benue PDP Chieftain Iortyom Kicks Against FG's Plan to Fund Ranches for Herders

Bemgba Iortyom, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party in Benue State and a candidate for the 2027 State House of Assembly, has expressed his opposition to the Federal Government's plan to establish ranches for herders in the state. In a statement released on Saturday, Iortyom advised the Federal Government to encourage livestock owners to establish their own ranches by lawfully acquiring land, rather than relying on government funding. This approach, he argued, is more in line with the principles of private enterprise, where individuals bear the costs and risks associated with their businesses. Iortyom's statement was in response to the Federal Government's proposal to pilot ranching in five states, including Benue, as a solution to the ongoing farmers-herders clashes. He questioned the logic behind the proposed solution, asking why it focuses exclusively on herders and livestock, and why it does not address the issue of compensation for farmers who have suffered losses due to the activities of herders. Iortyom also wondered why the representatives of farmers' communities, traditional institutions, and landowners were not involved in the negotiation process. He recalled that similar policies had been proposed in the past, including the revival of grazing routes, cattle colonies, and the National Livestock Transformation Plan, but were rejected by the people of Benue. According to Iortyom, if the Federal Government is serious about modernizing livestock production, it should encourage livestock owners to establish ranches on lawfully acquired land, rather than seeking to annex ancestral land belonging to farming communities. He emphasized that the burden of resolving the crisis should not be placed on the shoulders of the people of Benue, who have already suffered greatly due to the activities of herders.