Miyetti Allah Says Cow May Cost N2 million in Lagos State Over Anti-open Grazing Bill
- Cattle rearers in Lagos State said the anti-open grazing law will cause prices of cows and bulls to rise to as much as N2 million
- Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association said cattle rearers are not used to staying one place to breed their cows, as they don't have the funds to do so
- Southern governors in Nigeria reached a solution to sign the anti-open grazing bill into law, but Northern governors think otherwise
Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN) said Lagosians should be ready to pay N2 million for one cow once the anti-open grazing bill becomes law in Lagos State.
The MACBAN zonal secretary for South-West, Maikudi Usman, said the price of cattle will rise because rearers don't have money to station them in one location.
Usman told the state House of Assembly in Lagos during a one-day public hearing on the anti-open grazing bill in Lagos. The bill was eventually passed into law, and will restrict the movement of cattle rearers.
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Cattle rearers can't stay in one location
The secretary told the lawmakers that cattle rearers are not used to rearing their cows and bulls in a spot, and they move around because the owners of the cattle don't have the capital to fund a ranch.
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Usman said the cost of cattle will rise if cattle rearers are forced to stop grazing publicly in the state. Already, South West and South-South regions are considering banning open grazing.
According to Usman:
“If cattle are bred in one place, the price could go up to about two million naira each. We agreed with some local chiefs in other states that anyone who wants to rear cows in a location should register and should indicate when he is leaving.”
He added that:
"Our breeders are not used to breeding cattle in one place. They move from here to another place. When we say we will keep cattle in one place, the owner of the cattle will not have funds to feed the animals in one place”
Why states are against open grazing
Farmers have accused cattle rearers of trespassing and damaging their crops, and this has led to bloody clashes between them, resulting to loss of lives and property.
State governors, excluding Northern region, in Nigeria, have drafted anti-open grazing bill to put an end to the clashes, but the Miyetti Allah association have constantly spoken against the passage of the bill.
In September 2021, Southern governors agreed to pass the bill, stating that cattle rearing is an agricultural business, and anyone involved should acquire a land.
Source: Legit.ng
