Ogun State House of Assembly passes bill punishing open grazing with three years imprisonment

MEMBERS of the Ogun State House of Assembly have passed a bill regulating the  establishment of cattle ranches which penalises anyone found guilty of engaging in open grazing with three years imprisonment.

In May, the Southern Governors Forum met in the Delta State capital Asaba where among other things, it agreed to ban open grazing, called for the restructuring of the country and lent their support to the idea of state police forces. Last week, the governors of the 17 southern states met in Lagos to reaffirm this commitment, making it clear that the practise would not be allowed across their states.

First to implement the new law, the Ogun House of Assembly passed a bill yesterday to regulate animal grazing and the establishment of ranches in designated grazing areas. Hon Ganiyu Oyedeji, who sponsored the bill, presented a report of the House Committee on Agriculture and Forestry to the general assembly during a plenary session in Abeokuta.

Hon Oyedeji then moved the motion for the adoption of the report, seconded by Hon Sola Adams and supported by the whole House. A section of the bill also prescribes the forfeiture to the state government of the herds of cattle or livestock found grazing outside ranches permitted by government.

Hon Yusuf Sherif, the majority leader in the House moved the motion for the third reading of the bill, seconded by Hon Wahab Haruna. Hon Deji Adeyemo, the clerk of the House, thereafter, read the bill for the third time.

After this, Hon Olakunle Oluomo, the speaker, ordered that the clean copy of the bill be forwarded to Governor Dapo Abiodun for his assent. Also during plenary session, the speaker announced Funmilayo Adeyemi as the substantive deputy clerk of the House.