Imo Assembly Clashes With Governor Hope Uzodimma Over Open Grazing

• Governor Hope Uzodimma's position on open grazing in Imo state has been countered by the state House of Assembly
• Many states in the Southern Nigeria have criminalised the open grazing of cattle due to security concerns
• The Buhari administration has called for grazing routes to be maintained in states across the federation

Owerri, Imo state - Legislators in Imo state have disagreed with Governor Hope Uzodimma for saying the state does not have any law against open grazing.

According to This Day, Uzodimma had claimed that Imo state under a partnership between farmers and herders was regulating grazing activities.

But the Imo House of Assembly insisted that the state has an operational law prohibiting the open grazing livestock.

According to The Cable, Duru Johnson, the spokesman of the assembly, disclosed that the anti-open grazing law assented to by Achike Udenwa, a former governor of the state is still operational.

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Johnson, however, stated that members of the current assembly will rectify the shortcomings in the law.

Governor Akeredolu says no going back on the open grazing ban

Meanwhile, for those who think that the ban on open grazing in Ondo state will not be enforced, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu has a message for them.

The governor's message is that there is no going back on the ban on open grazing, Tribune Newspaper reported.

The governor made the declaration when the new Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), in charge of zone 17 in Akure, Ondo state capital, Ene Okon, came to visit him.

Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike signs open grazing prohibition bill into law

In another news, the Rivers state governor, Nyesom Wike, on Thursday, August 19 signed the Open Rearing and Grazing Prohibition Law 2021.

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This was disclosed in a statement issued by one of the governor's spokespersons, Kelvin Ebiri, and seen by Legit.ng.

The Southern Governors Forum had given itself a target (September 2021) to ensure all southern states pass a bill to ban open grazing in their respective domains.

Open Grazing Ban: Delta Working Towards September Deadline, says Okowa’s spokesman

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.

According to Ifeajika, who was on a Delta Broadcasting Service (DBS) live television programme monitored by Legit.ng, Delta State Livestock Breeding, Rearing, and Marketing Regulation Bill, 2021 is already before the House of Assembly.

He said 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