Jang dares Lalong to publish any document where I endorsed grazing reserve

The immediate past Governor of Plateau State and Senator representing Plateau North, Jonah Jang, has challenged the Simon Lalong led administration in the State to publish any document where he endorsed grazing reserves for the State throughout his eight years as governor.

Jang in a press statement signed by his Media Aide, Clinton Garuba, made available to journalists in Jos, Sunday, said, “It is unfortunate that Plateau State has found itself with a government that is willing to sacrifice its future in the mould of the Biblical Esau who forfeited his birth right for a meal of porridge.”

It reads, “The attention of the Senator representing Plateau North in the National Assembly, Senator Jonah David Jang has been drawn to remarks made by the Plateau State Governor, Barr. Simon Bako Lalong to the effect that he (Senator Jang) was responsible for the protests that greeted the APC Government’s policy on grazing reserve, ranching or is it livestock whatever.

“The fact that we have to struggle with a nomenclature for the anti-people policy is in itself a pointer to the fact that the government of the day doesn’t know what to do and is cleaving to anything just to portray itself to be working.”

The statement added, “Senator Jang challenges the Lalong administration to publish any document where he endorsed the creation of grazing reserves in Plateau State throughout the eight-year tenure of his government, If indeed, he publishes any document then it’s fake and leave him with no option than to institute a legal action against the government.

“We have heard the government say, it is keying into the policy for the benefit of the money made available for the implementation of the policy.

“One is taken aback that the chief executive officer of a state does not even know what is in the best interest of his state but is only concerned about the financial inducement attached to a policy that has the potential to wreck deadly blow on his people.”

The statement further said instead of the Lalong led administration to concentrate on delivering the promises that brought him to office, he was busy expending energy on accusing the immediate past Governor for his “non-performance and ill preparation for governance”.

“Had the people not protested the policy, it would already have been implemented in Plateau State.

“One question that comes to mind is whether the Lalong government in Plateau State is blind to the fact that those who have rejected it are not a single tribe as the governor alluded to in his remarks at the Villa. That the governor could describe his state civil servants as being hungry people only paints a true picture of a man who accidentally got to power”, the statement maintained.

The statement further said that the immediate past administration in the State left an example “of how ranches could be built and managed (Butura Milky way farm), not the current plan to use Federal Government’s money to acquire land for herdsmen in whatever guise as is being done by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture in collaboration with conniving governors.

“It is cowardice to say one thing today and keep changing what was said owing to its failure to find acceptability.

“If the APC government accuses Jang of being behind the protest that stopped its plan to implement a grazing reserve policy in the state, then it is an indictment on itself for failing to unite and galvanise the people toward working for the growth and development of the state.

“If the stand of Jang has awakened the people to rejecting the mortgaging of their state, then Barrister Lalong is right to have said Jang is responsible.

“It must, however, be stated in unequivocal terms that Senator Jang does not support and will not support acquisition of land for herdsmen under any guise or by whatever nomenclature it is known”, the statement warned.