Anti-Grazing Bill Scales 2nd Reading in Anambra Assembly, as Lawmakers Fix Date for Public Hearing

By Mmaduabuchi Onwumelu

A bill for a law to prohibit and abolish open and nomadic cattle and other livestock grazing and rearing in Anambra State and to establish cattle and other livestock ranches in Anambra State, has scaled second reading in the Anambra State House of Assembly.

While presenting the bill for second reading during last plenary, the majority leader, Dr. Nnamdi Okafor, explained that it aimed at arresting open form of cattle rearing, abolish livestock grazing and establish ranches in the state.

The Deputy Speaker, Dr. Paschal Agbodike, who noted that open grazing had claimed lives and destroyed farm lands in Anambra State, expressed confidence that when the bill was passed into law, Anambra State would begin to witness International best practices in livestock administration, regulation, and control, while killings of farmers by people who operated open form of grazing would stop.

For his part, the member representing Anambra East Constituency, Chief Obinna Emeneka, said the bill had justified one of the cardinal objectives of the state legislature, which, he gave as representation, stressing that it would prevent transmission of disease and forestall further loss of lives.

The member representing Njikoka Constituency Two, Dr. Pete Ibida, who regretted that open grazing had done more harm than good to the state, maintained that the bill would stop people who ran open grazing from causing further security hazards in the state and havoc on state roads.

The Speaker of the House, Right Honourable Uche Okafor, who described the menace of open grazing as a source of concern to all, assured that the House would give the bill expeditious passage.

Meanwhile, the lawmakers had fixed Thursday, September 30, 2021, for a public hearing on Open Gazing Prohibition Bill by the State House of Assembly, with venue at the Conference Hall, Govt House, Awka and by 10am.