Edo State Government has rejected the planned Ruga initiative by the federal government aimed at settling herders in parts of the country.

The state said it has ”an elaborate plan for agricultural development across all its value chain both in crop production and animal husbandry”.

This was contained in a statement by Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr Crusoe Osagie, on Monday.

The state government insisted that its agricultural plans have nothing to do with Ruga initiative.

The statement noted: ”In all the agricultural programmes being executed by the Obaseki administration, safety, security and prosperity of our people are the top priority and non-negotiable. We assure Edo people that Governor Obaseki will not cede their rights and land to anybody, as our programmes as a sovereign state do not run on the back of any external entity.”

He advised Edo citizens to disregard any contrary information circulated by the Edo State Chapter of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) or any other group or individual.

PT