Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, yesterday signed into law the Anti-Grazing Bill passed by the State House of Assembly less than 24 hours after he suspended all activities in Ondo State forest reserves.
According to a statement made available in Akure yesterday by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Donald Ojogo, “the move is in line with the resolution of the Southern Governors’ Forum at its last meeting in Lagos where September 1 was set as the deadline for governors in Southern Nigeria to sign the Anti-Open Grazing Bill into law.
“This is worthwhile and a very laudable development aimed at stemming needless instances of skirmishes, conflicts as well as infractions on the enviably peaceful disposition of the good people of Ondo State,” the statement said.
Explaining the importance of the new law across the 18 local councils of the state, Akeredolu, who is also the Chairman of the Southwest Governors’ Forum, said: “For emphasis, no particular group of persons is the target. While it is the hope of government that all residents would take an ample advantage of this law to enhance our socio-economic well being in Ondo, compliance of same shall be given the utmost attention.
“Government shall pursue with vigour, through lawful means, to ensure strict compliance. In this regard, details of the new law shall be made available to the public for proper information, more depth of understanding on contents as well as other relevant areas,” the statement read.
This is coming two days after herders, through their socio-cultural group, Miyetti Allah Kauta Hore, said they will not recognise such policy, describing it as ‘satanic’. The herders said the anti-open grazing policy taking off today had been overtaken by events, even as they declared their support for the Federal Government’s plan to revive grazing reserves, grazing routes and facilitate ranching in all the states.
National secretary of Miyetti Allah, Saleh Alhassan, said members would not recognise any anti-open grazing policy in the country. “Nobody can do anti-grazing policy in Nigeria, where we are constitutionally guaranteed the right of movement and occupation,” he said.
While Oyo State claimed it has passed the anti-cattle grazing bill into law in 2019, the state is still having challenges with implementation of the law as herdsmen move freely in some parts of the state unrestricted.
