Enugu communities, professionals reject proposed produce city, ranch projects

THE people of Uwani and Eha Amufu, in Isi Uzo Local Council, both in Enugu State, have rejected plans by the state government to acquire hectares of land in the areas for the establishment of cattle ranches and a produce city.

However, stakeholders in Eha Amufu commended the Federal Government for proposing to establish a military formation in the area to help address the dire security situation faced by rural communities.

In a statement, yesterday, the Eha Amufu Federated Development Union ( EFDU), the umbrella body of the development unions in the area, rejected the proposal by the state government for the acquisition of 3,000 hectares of land for the establishment of a produce city in EhaAmufu.

The statement, which was signed by its National President, Dr. Simeon Egbachukwu, National

Secretary, Uche David Egbogu, and the Presidents General of the seven development unions in Eha Amufu, stated that the people of the area had no such vast hectares of land, wondering why the state government would be interested in building such a city instead of allowing the private sector to drive the process. Meanwhile, the Uzo- Uwani Professionals Association ( UZPA) has kicked against plans by the Enugu State government to site a ranch to settle nomadic cattle herders in Nimbo Community, UzoUwani Local Council of the state.

Governor Peter Mbah, through the Commissioner for Information and Communication, explained that the move was part of the state gover nment’s plan to implement the prohibition of open grazing la w in the state by designating some specific areas of grazing to discourage and enforce sanctions against open grazing.