OPEN REARING AND GRAZING PROHIBITION BILL IN AKWA IBOM PASSED SECOND READING

Williams Akpabio - Information Unit AKHA, Uyo

The 7th Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly in its plenary today Tuesday gave accelerated hearing to "A  Bill for a Law to Prohibit Open Rearing and Grazing of Livestock and Provide for the Establishment of Ranches and Livestock Administration, Regulation and Control and for Other Matters Connected therewith"

This very important executive Bill went through first and second reading today and was committed to House Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources, and Lands, Housing and Urban Renewal for indepth study and for other legislative processes, 

According to the sponsor of the Bill,  Rt. Hon. (Sir) Udo Kieran, House Leader and member representing Oruk Anam State Constituency, open grazing Bill if passed to Law will henceforth curb the menace of Farmer/ Cattle Rearers (Herdsmen) as well as prevent the destruction of farms, crops, ponds caused by open rearing and grazing of Livestock.

The Bill is also expected to promote modern techniques of animal husbandry and international best practice in the dairy and beef Industry; prevent killings, sexual molestation etc.

It will prevent and control disease spread by livestock; the incidence of road accidents caused by caused by open rearing and grazing of Livestock and create conducive environment for large scale crop production.

The committee is expected to report back to the House within two weeks.

When passed into law and assented to by Governor Udom Emmanuel, Akwa Ibom will join the list of states in Nigeria that have enacted law to ban open grazing.

Meanwhile, Rivers, Bayelsa, Oyo, Ekiti and Abia states have enacted similar laws while Lagos State anti-open grazing bill which has just been passed into law is awaiting the assent of the governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and similar bills are at various levels in Enugu and Delta States.

Recalled that Southern states in Nigeria had reached a resolution on July 5, 2021, in Lagos to enact a law prohibiting open grazing. The governors, at the meeting, urged member states to enact legislation against open grazing of cattle in their states on or before September 1, 2021 however, only five states were able to have the anti-open grazing law in place before the deadline.

It could be recalled that His Excellency Gov. Udom Emmanuel forwarded two bill to the House  for Legislative consideration including "A Bill for a law to amend the Traditional Rulers Council Law, Cap 134, Laws of Akwa Ibom State, 2000 and for other matters connected therewith", this Bill scaled throuseugh first reading and committed to House Committee on Business, Rulers and Ethics for further Legislative actions.

Similarly, "A Bill for a Law to Prohibit the  of Public Schools for holding Events during School Hours in Akwa Ibom State and for Other Matters Connected therewith" sponsored by Rt. Hon. Effiong Bassey, member representing Oron/Udung Uko State Constituency was also presented at the floor of the House. However, the Bill was read for the first time and committed to House Committee on Business, Rulers and Ethics for other Legislative actions

Meanwhile, the house adjourned her plenary to reconvene on Tuesday 14th September, 2021 at 10.00 am prompt.