By Ishaya Ibrahim, News Editor
Ebonyi State Government on Thursday insisted that the state has no land for ranching.
The government said this why denying the allegation that it has received N6 billion from the Federal Government as grant for ranching.
Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, claimed on Wednesday that Ebonyi was one of the states that had received N6 billion grant from the Federal Government for the establishment of cattle ranches.
Speaking on the Channels TV prime time political show, POLITICS TODAY, Shehu listed other states to include Yobe, Katsina and the FCT, making it a total of N24 billion.
But reacting on Thursday, Special Assistant to Governor David Umahi on Media, Francis Nwaze, said the Presidency lied, insisting that the State Government had always maintained that it has no lands for ranching.
He said: “Ebonyi State Government never at any time received any money for ranching in the State and will not receive any money for the same purpose as there is no available land for ranching in the state.
“We have received the news making the rounds that Ebonyi State is among the States in the Federation that has received the sum of N6 billion each for ranching as attributed to the Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Garba Shehu while responding to questions on Channels Television on Wednesday night and we wish to clarify as follows:
“That should any Ebonyian opt to engage in personal ranching, Ebonyians should see such venture as a personal decision of such person who must use his/her land for the purpose.
“This is because Ebonyi State Government has continued to maintain that there is no land for ranching in the state and it is not about reneging from the decision.“
