Miyetti-Allah Gives Crucial Condition to Accept Ban on Open Grazing
- Nigeria's herders' association, Miyetti-Allah, has said an alternative has to be provided for the ban on open grazing to be effective
- The chairman of the southeast chapter of the group, Gidado Siddiki, made this known, noting that herders are not against the ban
- Meanwhile, a prominent PDP chieftain has advised the state Houses of Assembly in the five southeastern states to enact laws to backup the open grazing ban
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Southeast, Nigeria - Gidado Siddiki, the southeast chairman of Miyetti-Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), says the ban on open grazing by southern governors will remain ineffective until an alternative is provided for herdsmen.
Vanguard reported that the MACBAN leader said the public hearing on constitution review would have provided an opportunity for all parties to make submissions for a law against open grazing.
Source: Facebook
He, however, claimed that his group was not given the opportunity to make a submission, Daily Times also stated.
Siddiki was quoted to have said:
“Our position is that we are not opposed to the ban on open grazing, but at least we need an alternative.
“You know when somebody is doing business and you stop him from doing that business, he would be given an alternative on what to do."
Reminded that ranching has been proposed as an option to open grazing, Siddiki claimed it has not been provided for them as an alternative in conducting their business.
He queried:
“Is there any provision for that ranching?
Houses of Assembly in southeast should enact anti-grazing law
Meanwhile, Okwesilieze Nwodo, a former national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has called on all the states Houses of Assembly in the southeast to enact anti-grazing law in their respective states to stop open grazing of cattle in the zone.
Nwodo who is a former governor of Enugu state said that it would be difficult to enforce what is not a law across the states.
He said that when the law is enacted, violators would be prosecuted and punished according to its provisions.
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Open grazing should be banned all over Nigeria
Meanwhile, the convener of a pressure group, Kwara Must Change, Abdulrazak Hamzat has stated that open grazing should be banned all over Nigeria.
The Abuja-based activist made the statement in an exclusive interview with Legit.ng while reacting to the ban on open grazing across southern Nigeria by the Southern Governors Forum.
According to him, open grazing is not only archaic, it is unbefitting of any civilized nation in the 21st century.
Source: Legit.ng
