Ranching: Ebonyi Government Denies Receiving Presidency’s N6bn

The Ebonyi State government has refuted claims of receiving N6bn for ranching from the federal government.

Recall that presidential aide, Garba Shehu, had made the claim while appearing on a Channels Television program on Wednesday, August 25.

Shehu had said that Ebonyi, Yobe, Katsina, and the FCT received N24billion for the establishment of cattle ranches.

However, reacting to him, the Ebonyi State countered in a statement released on Thursday, August 26 by Special Assistant to Governor David Umahi on Media, Francis Nwaze stated that the Ebonyi State Government never 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.

The statement read;

““We have received the news making the rounds that Ebonyi State is among the States in the Federation that has received the sum of N6billion naira 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. “