ORTOM GETS PEACE AWARD FOR ANTI-OPEN GRAZING LAW

By Tahav Agerzua

A group, Tiv Professionals Group, has conferred a peace award on Governor Samuel Ortom for signing into law the anti-open grazing bill.
The conferment was made on Monday during a courtesy call on the Governor at the Benue Peoples House, in Makurdi by the group led by Professor Zacharys Gundu.

Presenting the award, Professor Gundu commended the Governor for taking what he described as a bold initiative to secure lives and property in the State.
The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Benue State University, decried the spate of destruction caused by herdsmen across the State, describing the development as the heighest form of impunity against the people of the state.

Leader of the delegation described the threats by Fulani groups as high treason which must be taken seriously and reported to national and international bodies.
He urged the Governor to spear head pressure on the federal government to establish a Commission for the reconstruction of the Middle Belt especially states attacked by armed herdsmen and also appeal to his colleagues to also enact similar laws in order to ensure that ranching becomes the template for livestock breeding and management in the country.

Receiving the award, Governor Ortom expressed appreciation to the group for taking note of his efforts at providing security in the state, adding that the award would spur him to do more for the people of the state.
He said the group had demonstrated patriotism and commitment for value addition to his administration adding that this kind of uncommon support cannot go unnoticed and unrewarded.
The Governor stated that the group had encouraged him to put the law in place saying it was the best strategy for peace between farmers and herders.

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really

So this man done borrow sense from Fayose.

My argument on why the Orton should be allowed to take the credit for the Open Grazing Prohibition and Establishment of Ranches Law of Benue Mimi Atedze wall.
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This is why I disagree with you sis. Ortom is perfectly in the right to celebrate this Law as its achievement. He is the one that will pay the political price for this Law. He could have decided he wasn't go to hearken to our suggestions and go right ahead to pass whatever Law that suits his political interest. But he listened and passed the most revolutionary and the single most important Law yet to come out of Benue since its creation in 1976.

On the Law being puts on daily rotation on Benue Radio, it is how it should be. Our people needs to be aware of it, needs education as to its provisions and more significantly, needs to know the sacrifices that they are expected to take on, as a result of its implementation. What other right place to do this than Benue Radio? I have accused the Benue State Government of not doing enough to educate us on this Law. I'm very glad they listened.

On the question of MAFO, no one can minimized their contribution to this Law. It is the same way, no one can minimize the contribution of the Benue People who resisted the imposition of a Bill on them that could scarcely serve their interests. I do not think the MAFO put up the fight they did because they wanted recognition, credit or political points for the Bill. They did this because they wanted their voices heard, the Bill to be passed, and Open grazing prohibited. To say that the Government of Benue State should be giving credit to MAFO for the Bill is a little too rich. Once a Law is passed, it becomes the government's Law. The process that led up to it is forgotten. The champions may be feted privately but that is about it. The Government takes full ownership of the Law. They have to do so to pump enough juice into their system to implement it. This is exactly what Ortom is doing, and in as much as I criticize him for other things, he is untouchable in my view as far as this Law goes. He need our support to fight the single, most formidable, most well oiled and most powerful political machine in Nigeria -the Fulani.

Obamacare was never written by the Obama administration, but he took full credit for it. It became his Law and at the same time, his albatross.