Open Grazer
By Victor Edafe, Ikeja
As efforts to stop open grazing of livestock and possession of dangerous weapons by unauthorised persons in the state, the Lagos State Government has proposed 21 years jail term for any herder found with firearm.
This was contained in a bill entitled: ‘Prohibition of Open Cattle Grazing Bill, 2021’, sent to the state House of Assembly by the executive branch of government.
While debating the bill during plenary session yesterday, members of the Assembly, who cut off their recess, condemned the incessant movement of cattle by herders openly on farms and roads in the state, adding that trespassing on people’s land would continue to threaten peaceful coexistence in the country. Debating on the bill, Hon. Bisi Yusuff (Alimosho 1) said the bill was long expected and needed speedy passage, adding that the damage caused by open grazing in the state and South-west region was enormous.
Yusuff said: “Open grazing has reduced food supply drastically. Cattle often eat up crops of farmers who most often borrowed money to farm them. The act of these herders has created scarcity of food supply in the region. It is shameful that cattle move on expressway, and destroy markets. I am totally in support of the proposed 21years jail term for defaulters.”
Commenting also, Hon. Kehinde Joseph (Alimosho 2) described open grazing system as an aberration in 21st century, adding that the bill would help promote peaceful co-existence between herders and farmers.
Joseph said that the bill would also reduce crime, and that by reducing crime, it would help increase farmers productivity, calling for synergy among security agencies in enforcing the bill when passed into law.
In his contribution, Lukmon Olumoh (Ajeromi-Ifelodun 2) suggested that High Court should be in position to try defaulters of the bill when passed into law rather than Magistrate Courts as proposed, adding that this would not give room for jurisdictional issue.
Hon. Wale Rauf (Amuwo-Odofin 2) advised that the term ‘dangerous weapons’ in the bill should be well interpreted and defined before being passed so as to avoid unnecessary arguments in the future.
Contributing also, Hon. Gbolahon Yishawu (Eti-Osa 1) said the sight of cattle in the streets and on the roads of Lagos State is shameful and alarming, saying that a cosmopolitan state like Lagos should not entertain open grazing.
While adding his voice, Hon Setonji David (Badagry 2) suggested that the Lagos State Neighbourhood Corps (LNSC) should be listed among the security agencies to enforce the law, saying the police have already been overstretched. David said: “In order to avoid crisis, we need be preemptive. I witnessed one of the herders’ misbehaviour while carrying out oversight at a school in the state as cattle blocked the roads. We needed to wait for them to leave before we continue our journey. Open grazing is the crime not ownership of cattle.”
However, the Speaker of the Assembly, Rt (Hon) Mudashiru Obasa, said the Assembly was taking the path of legalising the Southern governors’ agreement on open grazing, adding that there was need to identify herders operating in the state by registering them so as to know their total number.
Obasa further said there should be financial support for those who want to go into ranching, adding that there was need for training of the pastoralists in order to prepare them ahead of the new style.
He, however, committed the bill to the Assembly Committee on Agriculture and Cooperative, and directed it to report back on Thursday.
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