BENUE State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has decried the re-introduction of Water Resources Bill at the National Assembly.
The vociferous governor described the bill as a backdoor plan by federal government to grab land, adding that Benue state will not cede a inch of its land to anyone.
The controversial Water Resources Bill was last Wednesday reintroduced to the House of Representatives by the Chairman of House Committee on Water Resources, Sada Soli.
The bill which was introduced in the 8th Assembly was greeted with deep resentment and vehement opposition among the populace as many Nigerians it’s a leeway for Federal Government to take over land.
While Nigerians thought that nothing again would be heard about the bill, it was introduced as an Executive Bill and passed in 2020.
But Ortom who was one of those that kicked against it in 2020 on Saturday described the bill as an ‘evil’ plan to grab land’.
Speaking at the flag-off of the distribution of seedlings in Makurdi, the governor said the state will stand its ground and make sure the bill does not see the light of the day.
He decried the agenda of the Federal Government to seize land from the 36 states of the federation.
Ortom said categorically that Benue will not surrender its land in whatever guise to the Federal Government.
“Let me say emphatically that there will be no Water Resources Bill in Benue State; we will resist it, if other states encourage it, here in Benue we will not accept it.
“The other time they brought water resources bill we said no, now they are bringing the evil bill again, it is evil plan to take over waterways.’’
Land use Act is clear about this that land belongs to people and it is entrusted to the state governor and I promise that no one will come to Benue to seize our land.
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