Bayelsa State Government has denied claims that it ceded some parts of the state owned Bayelsa Palm Plantation to herdsmen for cattle grazing.
Commissioner of Agriculture and Natural Resources Dodie Week who clarified this during the inter-ministerial media briefing held at the Cultural Centre, Yenagoa.
According to him, the state government is using the plantation for its integrated cattle ranch programme.
“The Bayelsa State ranch is owned by the state government. Cattle herders are only asked to use the ranch instead of roaming the city of Yenagoa and other towns with their cattle. Anyone who wants to engage in cattle grazing should take it elsewhere not here.”
He said the idea behind the integrated ranch is to add value to the plantation, adding that the ranch will engage in breeding of other livestock and milk production programme for local consumption.
The federal government has been soliciting states to voluntary cede hectares of their land for developing cattle colonies for Fulani herders to end the cycle of violence between herdsmen and farmers across the nation.
No fewer than 16 states in the north have accepted the scheme while the southern states are absolutely opposed to it.