Open Grazing Ban: Miyetti Allah Tables Fresh Demand in Delta, Gives Reason
- Miyetti Allah in Delta state has requested for a minimum of 30,000 square metres of land to be used as cattle breeding ground and market
- The association made the demand at the public hearing of a bill seeking to prohibit open grazing in Delta state
- Miyetti Allah's chairman in the state, Musa Shuwa, said the 5,000 square metres of land provided for in the bill is not enough
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Asaba, Delta state - The Delta state chapter of the Miyetti Allah, Nigeria's herders' association, has demanded 30,000 square metres of land in the 25 local governments as designated areas for cattle breeding ground and market.
The Nation reported that the association spoke in Asaba, the state capital, on Monday, July 26, during the public hearing on a bill seeking to regulate livestock breeding, rearing and marketing and prohibit open grazing.
Source: Facebook
Legit.ng gathers that the hearing was organised by the Delta state House of Assembly Joint Committee on Special Bills and that of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
Miyetti Allah says 5,000 square metres of land not enough
In a memorandum signed by Miyetti Allah's chairman in Delta, Alhaji Musa Shuwa, he said the 5,000 square metres designated as grazing areas contained in the draft bill was grossly inadequate because of the facilities expected to be in the areas.
Shuwa said at present, the association maintains livestock (cattle) markets in seven towns in the state.
According to him, the smallest of the markets is situated on a parcel of land measuring about 4,500 square metres while the biggest is about 7,000 square metres.
He explained that a minimum of 30,000 square metres of land will be required to build an abattoir, veterinary clinic, livestock market, administrative office and security post as contained in a section of the bill.
The chairman of the joint committee, Pat Ajudua, said the public hearing was to garner the inputs of the public, particularly major stakeholders in the making of the proposed law.
In a statement released on Facebook by the Delta state House of Assembly, Ajudua said the joint committee was made up of carefully selected, brilliant, selfless, and hard-working lawmakers that would ensure a smooth job is done on the bill.
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Open grazing ban: Delta working towards September deadline
Meanwhile, Olisa Ifeajika, spokesman of Delta governor, on Tuesday, July 13, said that the Okowa-led administration had begun work toward enacting a law to prohibit open grazing in the state.
He noted that a bill to that effect is already before the House of Assembly.
Ifeajika added that the bill had scaled first reading at the parliament and expressed optimism that it would be passed and made ready for the governor’s assent before the September deadline set by the Southern Governors' Forum in their recent meeting in Lagos.
Source: Legit.ng
