Journal

View Journal

AN APPRAISAL OF THE (IR)RELEVANCE OF POLICY ON RURAL GRAZING AREA (RUGA) IN NIGERIA

ALUGBELE, OLOKOTOLU ABIODUN, Volume 5 Issue 1, 2021 Pages 91-95, Published: 2022-10-02

Abstract

This study researched on the historical trend of incessant clashes between herders and farmers throughout the Nigerian polity. It traced the conflicts back to the early days when they first came to lime light and analysed the various arguments that have been put forward by the media, legislature, executive, judiciary, opinion formers and public affairs analysts. It observed the position of the executive on the controversial issue of “RUGA’ (Rural Grazing Area) and the National Live Stock Transformation Plan (NLTP), to establish the existence of any such laws, whether the existing laws are of general application throughout the Federation of Nigeria or have been abolished or rendered obsolete by subsequent legislations on same subject matter. It went further to discuss the practicability of establishing “RUGA” amidst population growth, increase in agricultural activities, urbanization rate and whether the Federal Executive has the constitutional powers to carry out such establishment in view of the land use Act of 1978, which vested the ownership of land on the states vis-à-vis section 315(5)(d) of the 1999 constitution which subsequently incorporated the former making it an Act of National Assembly and a Statute of general application. The research concludes on the note that the establishment of RUGA (Rural Grazing Area) or setting up of the National Live Stock Transformation Plan (NLSTP) or cattle colonies, will not put an end to the crisis between herders and farmers, the solution lies in ranching, which is the best practice globally. Amongst other things, it was suggested that this is the way forward for Nigeria as well as the best practices which are successfully implemented worldwide.