Rivers State government has made it clear that it would not participate in the Federal Government’s Ruga settlements for herdsmen.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information, Paulinus Nsirim, on Tuesday.
Nsirim noted that the state had no land for the implementation of such policy.
He also stated that Governor Nyesom Wike, will priotize commercial agriculture, during his second term in office.
Hence, available arable land in the state would be needed to drive commercial agriculture across the state, to create employment for Rivers youths.
The state government emphasised that it had not given any approval for the citing of Ruga settlements anywhere in Rivers and don’t intend to in future.
The statement added that Governor Wike would continue to defend the interest of Rivers people, who have overwhelmingly rejected cattle colonies, Ruga settlements and any such policy.