BILL on cattle rear-ing aimed to provide a law against open grazing of cattle has been introduced in the Senate. It has indeed passed 2nd reading and will go for a public hearing where all relevant stakeholders will be invited to make their inputs.>>>CONTINUE FULL READING HERE....CONTINUE READING THE ARTICLE FROM THE SOURCE
If the bill scales through, it will create an Act to establish a National Animal Husbandry and Ranches Commission and end open grazing which has been a major source of clashes between herders and farmers across the country. SEV samples the position of a cross section of residents of the South- East region on this.
Those opposed to the bill are real enemies of Nigeria – Abia monarch
The traditional ruler of Oriendu autonomous community and a well known cassava farmer, Eze Philp Ajomuiwe welcomed the bill, saying those opposed to it are the real enemies of Nigeria. “It is a step in the right direction”, he said.
The monarch, a former Chairman of Cassava Growers Association of Nigeria, South-East zone, lamented the havoc being done to farmers by cows and their herders and expressed hope that the bill would bring a lasting solution to the incessant attacks on farmers by herdsmen.
“Only agriculture can give food security and sustain our economy. The bill is a welcome development. They should expedite action on it.” Nigeria will go to the grave if agriculture is not revived.
“I was abroad recently; I never saw any cow on the road. In all the developed nations where our leaders have travelled to, you don’t see such a thing. It is only in Nigeria that cattle roam about.
“Herders have killed a lot of people because of their cows. Many farmers, including myself, have lost over 100 hectares of farmlands to cows and without compensation. It is unbelievable and barbaric. It may get to a point where farmers will not be able to go to farms again.
“The prices of food will continue to go up until the issue of open grazing is addressed. Cows should not be allowed to be wandering around our land, destroying farms and crops”, the monarch said, and urged the Senate to push the bill as of utmost priority and importance.>>>CONTINUE FULL READING HERE
If Nigeria ends open grazing, half of its problems will be solved—Okolo
For Chief Johnson Okolo, an industrialist and farmer, who was a victim of the destructive activities of herdsmen and their cattle, the bill is a good step in the right direction. He said if the Senate passes the bill into law; they have succeeded in solving half of Nigeria’s problems.
Okolo who narrated how he lost millions of naira worth of cash crops in his farm in Amofia Agu, Affa community, Enugu State, to Fulani herdsmen, who he alleged also forcefully took over the place, said: “If President Bola Tinubu can achieve this, Nigerians will never forget him” as it is a bold step towards uniting Nigeria.
“When you talk about cattle rustling, it is because of open grazing; when you talk about farmers- herders’ clashes, it is because of open grazing, when you talk about kidnapping, it is because of open grazing, when you talk about bandits, it is because of open grazing. Open grazing is the major problem of Nigeria; it is against the unity of this country, it is against the progress of this country. Nigerians will continue to be hungry because they can no more farm in their lands, open grazing has made Nigerians poor.
“Trained armed men, in the name of cattle rearing, who are as wild as animals, go round the country killing, kidnapping and maiming people. That is what open grazing has brought to Nigeria. So for me, if the Senate can stop open grazing, kudos to them, they have solved half of Nigeria’s problems. So open grazing is a big problem, our leaders know it; they should stop pretending,” Okolo stated.
Open grazing has caused more harm—Eze Obosi
The traditional ruler of Obosi community in Idemili North Council Area of Anambra State, Igwe Chidubem Iweka, in his reaction, encouraged the Senate to pass the bill, saying it is the best way to go in modern animal husbandry. He said it is no longer in doubt that open grazing of cattle has caused more harm than good as well as disaffection towards the corporate existence in the country.
“Ranching is the way to go. It is an international standard of rearing cattle the world over. In Britain, America and other Western countries, ranching methods are applied to breed cattle. It is only in Nigeria that open grazing is being practised and that is why we have continued to have religious and ethnic upheavals from time to time.
“Open grazing is a stimulant to war. It leads to killings between the herders and farmers. It causes skirmishes. It is quite outdated and an invitation to anarchy, hunger and starvation. It should be discouraged and replaced with ranching as applicable in other parts of the world,” Igwe Iweka declared.
Ranching’ll take care of unbearable steps—Professor Okoro
Professor Okee Okoro of the Department of Library and Information Science, Imo State University said the bill will address the unbearable oversteps by the herders.
“We all know that ranching is the global best practice. The benefits are innumerable especially, the opportunity of best breed of the animal. Under a ranching arrangement, the cows will grow fat because they will be well fed without the constant long distance movements they are subjected to. Ranching arrangement is good for food security since the damages done to agricultural produce by the roaming cows is unimaginable. One of the greatest logical arguments against roaming of cows is the issue of letting someone use his business to damage those of others. Cattle herders willfully allow their animals to roam and feed on people’s crops without considering the losses to those individuals.
Having a business to transverse territories, even from Sokoto to Owerri, destroying people’s properties, unchecked and unhindered is at variance with any norm of modicum of business administration/arrangement,” Okoro said.
Open grazing is outdated —Obasi
A notable Igbo leader from Ebonyi State, Chief Jerry Obasi maintains that ranching of animals signifies growth and development, saying that no country in the world practices open grazing of animals.
“It is shameful that some people are still opposing ranching in this age of national development. Grazing animals is outdated. It is only in Nigeria that people are still opposed to ranching as an agricultural practice. Every country of the world practices ranching of animals, but some sections of Nigeria are still acting as if we are still in the stone age.
“Livestock rearing is purely a private business, just like cassava or vegetable farming; no business is more important than the other. And people who are against ranching should consider that it is the best solution to stop the incessant conflict between farmers and herdsmen which often leads to loss of lives and properties. The bill for ranching should get the support of all stakeholders in the country,” Obasi said.
Cattle ranching bill will reduce tension in S-East—Okeke
In his reaction, a large scale farmer in Amansea community, Awka North Council Area of Anambra State, Chief Josephat Okeke narrated his experience with cattle herders who destroyed all the crops in his farm three years ago. According to him, ranching is the modern way of cattle rearing because of its numerous advantages, saying that Nigerian leaders know the right thing to do, but refused to do them just to favour a section of the country.
“I support ranching as it is done in many countries. If the herdsmen are restricted to their ranch, friction with farmers will greatly reduce,” he said.
Kicking against the bill is ridiculous, archaic —INC
The National President of Igbo National Congress, INC, Comrade Chilos Godsent said it is ridiculous and depicts an archaic mentality for anyone to kick against the bill.
“Globally, open grazing is not allowed. Anybody that wants to rear cattle should be able to get a ranch. Rearing of cows is somebody’s business; you don’t use your economic business to destroy another person’s business. We are fully in support of the bill. Banning open grazing will help to tackle the incessant cases of clashes between herders and farmers,” he stated.
Bill is to divert attention of Nigerians—Prof Igwe
Emeritus professor of Political Science, Obasi Igwe however sees the bill as diversionary and urged the National Assembly to drop it, saying “it is another hoodwinking of Nigerians.”
Igwe noted that many states had already established anti-open grazing laws to tackle farmers- herders’ clash and urged the Federal Government to push for the state laws to be obeyed by Fulani herdsmen.
“Nigerians are suffering and dying of hunger, and that is the priority the National Assembly ought to be addressing. They should drop the diversionary bill; it is another hoodwinking of Nigerians,” Igwe said.
Chief Hyman Udemba, in his own contribution, described open grazing as a troublesome old fashioned method of cattle breeding which is currently against international standard.
“This open grazing thing has been in the front burner for many years now but successiive governments have had no political will to stop it because they know that stopping open grazing is offending the North but allowing open grazing is offending the South and they will prefer to offend the South than to offend the North for a reason best known to them. So, the question now is; can theTinubu government have the political will to stop open grazing, offend the North and damn the consequences or to remain with the old order?
“The herders know that ranching is the best method but because they used to enjoy government immunity and protection and a tax-free environment, they would like to resist any attempt to stop them from open grazing,” Udemba said.
Nigeria’s food, social insecurity linked to open grazing—–Maize manufacturers
The Secretary of Maize Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAAN, Chief Israel Amanze noted that food and social insecurity in Nigeria is traceable to open grazing.
Amanze, a former Commissioner for Agriculture in Abia State and a renowned farmer, said that the bill “is a step in the right direction.
“Banning open grazing is the only sane thing to do in Nigeria. Anything to the contrary is retrogressive and anti-people. The people opposing the bill are doing so for selfish interests. Those opposed to the bill are the beneficiaries. They send herders to roam the streets and destroy farmers’ crops. Ranching is the only way developed societies thrive in animal production. Ranching is the only way to go. It should not be politicized,” Amanze said.
Also, Igbo elite body, Alaigbo Development Foundation, ADF, has expressed support for the bill. The Secretary General of ADF, Hon Abia Onyike said that ADF does not support the idea of the Government taking part in the establishment of the ranches because cattle business is a private business and it should be undertaken by individuals in cattle rearing business.
“Under no circumstance should the cattle herders be permitted to carry assault weapons like AK 47. ADF is opposed to all acts geared towards the weaponizing cattle rearing in Nigeria,” Onyike said>>>CONTINUE FULL READING HERE
