Bayelsa government set to enact a law prohibiting open grazing of cows

By Akpos Oghenetega,

Bayelsa State Government is set to enact a law prohibiting open grazing of cows and regulate the business of livestock breeding and marketing in the State following the incessant crisis between herders and farmers across the country.

 

The chairman of the state House of Assembly Joint Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources, Trade, Industry and Investment as well as Environment and Security, Mr Tonye Isenah, gave the hint that the executive bill would be passed into law on Wednesday.

 

He stated this during the public hearing on the bill organised by the committee at the Assembly Complex in Yenagoa on Monday.

 

The public hearing followed the Assembly’s successful first and second reading of the legislative document, which is titled, ‘Livestock Breeding and Marketing Regulation Bill, 2021’, during plenary on February 24.

 

Isenah, a former Speaker of the House, said that Governor Douye Diri would sign the bill into law latest Friday this week after its expeditious passage on Wednesday.

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He explained that the purpose of the public hearing was to get the views of other stakeholders in order to enrich and strengthen the bill to become an efficient law in the state.

 

Isenah, who promised that inputs made would be harnessed by the committee, said, “We want to assure Bayelsans that this week; the committee is trying to sit tomorrow (Tuesday), prepare our report and submit to the House on Wednesday.

 

“And that by Wednesday, it will be expeditiously passed, then on Thursday or Friday, the governor should be able to sign the bill into law so that we can live as human beings.”

 

Among stakeholder groups that made presentations on the bill through their representatives were the cattle rearers and butchers associations, farmers and vegetable growers, civil society organisations, traditional rulers, Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Ijaw Youth Council and Association of Local Government of Nigeria.

 

The PUNCH