Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State on Friday said the federal government has no intention to force the state or its people to accept cattle ranching against their wishes.

Alia stated this while responding to questions on the Federal Government’s planned pilot ranching programme in Benue, urging residents to remain calm and properly understand the context of the announcement before drawing conclusions.

The governor said the people of Benue had made their position on cattle ranching clear, stressing that his administration remained committed to protecting their interests and maintaining peace in the state.

“The Federal Government is not forcing the state to have cow ranching. I think the people must have to calm down. Those who feel very aggressive must calm down.

“The state is relatively peaceful. We want to maintain our peace. Nobody is forcing anything on anybody at any stage of this,” he said.

Alia said his administration is people-oriented and would not impose policies or projects on communities against their wishes, noting that government must always be responsive to the needs and preferences of the people.

“This is the government of the people. It’s not Alia’s government. It’s not just Tinubu’s government,” he said, adding that President Bola Tinubu had not imposed anything on Benue in the last three years.

The governor explained that ranching should not automatically be interpreted as cattle ranching, noting that Benue had different livestock species that could be developed as economic opportunities.

He cited goats and sheep as examples, saying his administration was already exploring ways of turning the state’s agricultural and livestock resources into opportunities for economic development.

Alia also cautioned residents and commentators against reacting to announcements without first seeking clarification from the relevant authorities.

“You first of all need to understand perspective. If you don’t understand it because you have a cellphone and then you just start writing what your mind is telling you, it doesn’t help us as a state either,” he said.

The governor further assured the people that his administration would remain people-oriented, saying no resident would be forced to accept a policy or programme that was against the collective interest of the state.

“This is a people-oriented government, and everything we are doing must be people-directed,” Alia said.