TheNewsGuru

Tag: Anti-Open Grazing Bill

  • Obiano signs Anambra Anti-Open Grazing Bill into law, orders immediate enforcement

    Obiano signs Anambra Anti-Open Grazing Bill into law, orders immediate enforcement

    Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano, has joined his counterparts in the southern region of the country to sign the anti-open grazing bill into law.

    He assented to the Cattle and Other Livestock Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Bill of Anambra State on Friday at the Governor’s Lodge in Amawbia, Awka.

    Governor Obiano explained that the decision of the state government to outlaw the open grazing of cattle and other livestock was to enhance peace between the farmers and the herders in Anambra.

    According to him, the management of the crisis between farmers and herders has been a short-term measure and it has become necessary for the government to take decisive action.

    The governor stated that the law enforcement agencies have been directed to immediately commence the implementation of the law

  • Okowa signs Delta anti-open grazing bill into law

    Okowa signs Delta anti-open grazing bill into law

    Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, has signed the bill prohibiting open grazing across the state, into law.

    He assented to the bill on Thursday at the Government House in Asaba, the state capital.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that this comes a week after members of the Delta State House of Assembly passed the Prohibiting Open Grazing, Indiscriminate Breeding, Rearing, and Marketing of Livestock in Delta State.

    Lawmakers in the state had passed the bill following the adoption of a motion by the Majority Leader of the House, Ferguson Onwo.

    “Through the passage of this bill, the State House of Assembly has demonstrated its resolve to protect Deltans (residents) from the menace of clashes between herders and farmers,” said Speaker Sherrif Oborevwori who presided over the plenary during which the bill was passed.

    “I commend all the sponsors of this bill for recognising that the security of lives and properties of Deltans, as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as altered), remains sacrosanct.”

    TNG reports that Delta is the most recent state to enact such a law after authorities in Rivers, Ondo, Akwa Ibom, and Lagos had done the same.

    The prohibition of open grazing by these states is in line with the resolution of the Southern Governors Forum, as part of measures to tackle the conflicts between herders and farmers.

    During a meeting of the governors held on September 16 in Enugu, member-states were reminded about the need to enact or amend the anti-open grazing law to align with the uniform template and aspiration of the forum.

    They had commended the rate at which the states in the South were enacting the law and encouraged those yet to enact it to do so expeditiously.

    But the position of the governors was faulted by some prominent Nigerians, including the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, who said it was unconstitutional.

  • Delta Assembly passes anti-open grazing bill

    Delta Assembly passes anti-open grazing bill

    The Delta State House of Assembly has passed the bill Prohibiting Open Grazing, indiscriminate Breeding, Rearing and Marketing of Livestock in Delta State.

    The bill was passed following a motion by the Majority Leader of the House, Ferguson Onwo and adopted during Tuesday’s resumed plenary presided over by Speaker Sherrif Oborevwori.

    The Chairman House Committee on Special Bills, Pat Ajudua presented the report on the bill on the floor of the House, which was received and adopted.

    She disclosed that inputs of stakeholders formed part of the proposed law.

    The bill, when eventually signed into law, prohibits the carrying of firearms, either licenced or otherwise, by residents or individuals in the State.

    It also seeks to address the arbitrary rearing and movements of livestock in the State.

    Speaker Oborevwori expressed happiness over the development, saying that Deltans and other residents of the State would be very happy that the bill was passed.

    “Dear Colleagues, I congratulate all of us on the passage of this very important Bill. Today, the House has fulfilled the commitment of our dear State to the agreement reached at the south-South Governors’ meeting held here in our State Capital.

    “By virtue of this Bill, this House has demonstrated its resolve to protect the people of the State from the menace of clashes between herders and farmers. I must therefore, commend all the Sponsors of this Bill, for recognizing that the security of lives and properties of Deltans as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as altered) are sacrosanct”, Oborevwori stated.

    Continuing the Speaker explained that “the passage of this Bill, well-meaning persons who seek to carry on the business of breeding, rearing and marketing of livestock shall do so within the boundaries of the Law.

    “Also, farmers can now go about their businesses without fear of anyone grazing on their crops. This for sure will boost food production in the State.

    “Dear colleagues, this bill is a right step in the right direction as our women can now go to their farmlands without fear of molestation.

    “Once again, I thank you all for your untiring support as always and for your resolute commitment in the passage of people oriented Bills such as this.”

  • Your anti-open grazing laws not implementable, El-Rufai blasts Southern Governors

    Your anti-open grazing laws not implementable, El-Rufai blasts Southern Governors

    Kaduna Governor Malam Nasir El-Rufai has criticised the approach adopted by his southern colleagues in handling the open grazing crisis.

    He insisted that the anti-open grazing law being passed by some Southern States is not implementable.

    He also condemned the politicisation of the matter, saying that enactment of populist legislation by the States “is not a solution”.

    El-Rufai, who spoke on Tuesday with newsmen after a visit to the National Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja, said that ranching and not open grazing is the solution to the ongoing farmer/herder clashes.

    According to him: “Northern States Governors Forum has already taken a position that open grazing is not a sustainable way of livestock production. And we must move towards ranching.

    “But moving towards ranching cannot be done overnight. We have to plan, we have to have resources and we have to implement it sensibly. It is not a matter of populist legislation or saying tomorrow this or that. It is not a solution.

    “What is unhelpful is the politicizing of the situation and pass legislation that you know that you cannot implement.”

    Explaining steps taken by his administration to address the issue, El-Rufai said he has embarked on construction of a ranch that will take care of over 1,500 Fulani families at the cost of N10 billion.

    “My State, for instance, we are developing a huge ranch to centralise the herders. And that is the solution. But can it be done overnight? No,” he said.

    “I hope that they will see that there are alternative ways of producing livestock instead of running up and down with cattle going to people’s farms to cause all kinds of problems. We want to solve the problem.”

    Shedding more light, the Governor said: “We need billions of Naira. This is just one ranch that is causing N10 billion. I have 14 grazing reserves in Kaduna State and I will like to convert them into ranching. Do I have 14 times 10 billion naira? I don’t have.

    “If the Federal Government will give me N140bn, I will convert the other thirteen into ranches and make sure that nobody comes out with a cow or sheep in Kaduna State because I will have enough ranches to take care of everybody. That is the solution. You can legislate but let us wait and see. And I wish them the best of luck.”

  • JUST IN: Sanwo-Olu signs anti-open grazing bill into law

    JUST IN: Sanwo-Olu signs anti-open grazing bill into law

    Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has signed the Anti-Open Grazing bill into law.

    The law is to prohibit the open grazing and trespass of cattle and for connected purposes.

    The House of Assembly passed the bill on September 9 after it scaled the second reading and it went through a public hearing.

    Details shortly…

  • BREAKING: Lagos Assembly Passes VAT, Anti-Open Grazing Bills

    BREAKING: Lagos Assembly Passes VAT, Anti-Open Grazing Bills

    The Lagos State House of Assembly has passed the Value Added Tax (VAT) bill, along with a bill that prohibits the open grazing of cattle in the state.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that the two bills were passed after unanimous votes by the lawmakers during the plenary on Thursday after they were read for the third time.

    Following the passage of the bills, the Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa, commended his colleagues for their passion to see that the state continues to grow.

    “I thank you all for this historic exercise,” he told the lawmakers at the legislative chamber of the Assembly in Alausa, Ikeja.

    Obasa also directed the Acting Clerk of the House, Mr Olalekan Onafeko, to transmit clean copies of the bills to the state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for assent.

    The passage comes a day after the lawmakers held separate public hearings on the bills with stakeholders who declared their support for them.