Cross River Assembly rejects proposed grazing law

The Cross River State House of Assembly has rejected the Grazing Commission Bill currently being proposed by the National Assembly, advocating for a closed and regulated ranch reserve system.

In a motion of urgent public importance initiated by the Deputy Whip of the House, Ogana Lukpata, the members unanimously rejected an open grazing system in the state and called on the state government and other relevant agencies to give effect to the content of the latest resolution of the state Assembly.

The House further called on the state government to ban open grazing of cattle and other animals, advising that interested farmers should engage in a closed and regulated ranch system under the policy framework of the state ministry of Agriculture.

“Under the Cross River State Environmental Sanitation Law, it is unlawful to openly graze cattle or any other animal that endangers human life’’, it was observed adding that the open grazing system was alien to the livestock economy of the state.

The House noted that there were many specialised farmers in the state engaged in poultry, goat, bird, fish and pig farming, who acquired own land at prevailing commercial rate without government intervention, submitting that the same should apply to cattle grazing.

It maintained that the Cross River State land tenure system was based on family inheritance and the land was the foundation of owners’ economic activities, hence, the state government cannot therefore, acquire family land and set aside for grazing.

MIKE ABANG