The apex cultural organization in the South-East, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, on Wednesday commended the Federal Government for suspending the controversial Ruga settlements project.
The organization made its position known in a statement by the President General, John Nnia Nwodo. The statement described the move as heartwarming.
“It is heartwarming to observe that for the first time the current leadership at the federal level has deferred to people’s opinion on public issues.”
It urged the Federal Government to take immediate measures to disarm the AK-47-wielding herders throughout the country, saying that “issues surrounding the suspended RUGA scheme indicate the importance of consulting the people before taking certain decisions that will affect them.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo is as worried about the restoration of peace between farmers and herders in the country as the Federal Government and believes that the ultimate solution to it is to embrace ranching
“Government should carry out an audit of foreigners in the country and ascertain those with genuine entry papers, deport those illegally in the country as well as ensure that the nation’s borders are properly manned to avert further massive infiltration.
“As a process towards healing, the present wounds and uniting the country, adequate compensation should be paid to relations of victims of the unwarranted killings in the country in recent times.”
Recall that the Presidency on Wednesday suspended the Ruga Programme after some states kicked against designating land for the projects. Particularly, states in the South-South and South-East had said there was no land for the project. They claimed that the federal government failed to consult them before the implementation of the project.
