….to introduce mechanised farming amongst them
In a bid to bring an end to the 20 years lingering crisis that had bedevilled the Toro, Fulani and Hausa communities in Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna State, the Federal Government has set out measures that will ensure lasting peace and security among the warring communities.
The Honourable Minister of Women Affairs, Barrister (Mrs) Uju Kennedy Ohanenye in a Peace Accord meeting held today with representatives of the three communities in her office in Abuja, stated that without peace, there can be neither growth nor meaningful development in any nation.
She informed that the meeting witnessed formal endorsement of a pact by the three communities to underscore their resolve to put down their arms and pursue peace through the use of mechanized communal farming, a move which she said is pursuant to the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on National Unity, Cohesion and Tolerance, in line with the vision of the nation’s founding fathers.
Kennedy-Ohanenye stated further that the initiative aims at introducing mechanised communal farming amongst the warring communities with a view to promoting understanding, thus ensuring peaceful cohabitation in the area.
According to her, peace is a non-negotiable ingredient that binds us as a nation and a catalyst for national growth, so anything that does not promote peace in our society should not be embraced.
Today’s meeting, she added, is a landmark achievement under the watch of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as we have brokered peace among the warring communities in Kagarko Local Government in Kaduna South. The crisis has lingered for a vicennium and the Ministry has engaged the traditional rulers and youth leaders on the need to pursue peace. This we are going to achieve by introducing them to mechanized communal farming which will re-direct their energy towards peaceful co-existence and not war.
The Minister who identified poverty as a major worrisome factor that has driven the Nigerian youth towards negative tendencies, frowned at the way and manner some of them are manipulated into taking up arms against each other, noting that these has had very devastating effects on the fabrics of our national growth.
She explained that part of the arrangements towards ensuring lasting peace include, the provision of 100 acres of land for 200 families drawn from the Koro, Fulani and Hausa communities to plant high yield rice with modern machines which will enhance production as well as Potato farming by 60 additional families drawn from the 3 communities as part of measures to engender peace and encourage the youth to be productive and self-reliant.
Kennedy-Ohanenye added that government wants to encourage them to embrace peace by farming together as one family, thus channelling their energies towards positive tendencies rather than war.
Through this plan, the Minister said, “we will achieve food sufficiency which is also part of the renewed hope agenda of Mr. President.
She noted further that the Fulani people have promised not to allow their cattle to enter the farm lands with the other parties also pledging that they will no longer fight with the Fulanis.
Responding, the leader of the Jere Community and Yariman Jere, Alhaji Abdulkareem Suleiman expressed delight at the restoration of peace in the Local Government after 20 years.
While praying for more wisdom and strength on the Minister in the discharge of her duties, Alhaji Suleiman particularly thanked President Bola Tinubu for his unrelenting effort towards the realization of the goal.
To be honest, he said, we appreciate the efforts made to ensure peace in our communities, we don’t know why we have found it so difficult to embrace peace for so long but to my surprise today, all violence have been removed from our minds.
In the same vein, the Arda Fulani, Alhaji Abdullahi Aliyu expressed his gratitude to the Minister for brokering peace among the communities, adding that Nigeria should be one united nation where Christians and Moslems alike live together in harmony to build the nation.
Also speaking, the Youth Leader, Kagarko Local Government, Mr. Musa Barnabas stated that in the past, youth in the communities shared a lot of things in common.
He expressed optimism that the mechanized farming initiative between the communities will go a long way, not only to check violence among the youth but also provide gainful employment which will in turn bring.about lasting peace in the warring communities.
Signed
Mrs Grace Njoku
Head, Press and Public Relations
