Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai has described the anti-grazing laws being signed by some of his colleagues as unrealistic.
He noted that while ranching was the ideal solution to the problem, it cannot be done overnight.
El-Rufai also stated that Kaduna State would require at least N114 billion to put together 14 ranches to fully settle herders and their families.
The governor said this while speaking to newsmen during a visit to the National Secretariat of the All progressives Congress, in Abuja, on Tuesday.
Also Read: BREAKING: Sanwo-Olu Signs Anti-Grazing Bill Into Law
He said, “The northern state governor’s forum has already taken a position that open grazing is not a sustainable way of livestock production. And we must move towards ranching.
“But moving towards ranching cannot be done overnight. We have to have a plan; we have to have resources and we have to implement it sensibly. It is not a matter of populist legislation or saying tomorrow this or that. It is not a solution. We have taken a position as northern state governors and we are implementing that.
“And in my state, for instance, we are developing a huge ranch to centralize the herders. And that is the solution, a long time. But can it be done overnight? No.
“This project we are doing will cost us about 10 billion naira. The CBN is supporting us with about 7.5 billion. And it will take about two years to do,” he said in parts.