By Leshi Adebayo
The Governors of Delta and Ogun States, Ifeanyi Okowa and Dapo Abiodun, on Thursday, signed the anti-open grazing bill into law.
Okowa signed the Delta State Livestock, Breeding, Rearing and Marketing Regulation Bill 2021 into law, days after the State House of Assembly passed the bill.
Speaker of the Delta House of Assembly, Sheriff Oborevwori; Deputy Speaker, Christopher Ochor and other principal officers were present at the bill signing.
Speaking on the development, Okowa said, “We believe that it is in the best interest of security. We believe that it is in the best interest of ensuring food security and that it will help us to ensure that we are able to cause people from across this nation, who will find themselves outside their own states inhabiting in Delta State, to live with Deltans in a peaceful and respectable manner with each other, having respect for each other.”
“I think that it is time for our nation to depart from the old ways and to look into the future, ensuring that we do things in the best way for development.
“Today, Delta State can rightly boast that we now have a law that regulates livestock breeding, rearing and marketing and a law that also prohibits open grazing. It is one law that everyone of us in this country should truly support,. It is something that is in the best interest of us all,” he added.
In a related development, Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, also signed the anti-open grazing bill into law at a security council meeting held on Thursday at the Governor’s office, Oke Mosan, Abeokuta.
On July 8, 2021, the State House of Assembly had passed the bill and a clean copy was transmitted to the Governor for assent.
After the third reading and an unanimous voting by lawmakers at the sitting, the bill was passed.
The new law prohibits the act of moving cattle around public places by herders in the state.
