As the long-awaited law prohibiting open grazing becomes a reality against the earlier spirited call for its enactment, Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide has applauded Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State for signing into law, the bill by the Enugu State House of Assembly on anti-open grazing.
The bill which is for a law to prohibit open grazing, regulate cattle ranching, and for connected purposes was recently passed by the Enugu State House of Assembly.
Ohanaeze had persistently expressed indignation with the governors’ apparent indifference and delay is causing the law to be enacted and had urged them to do the needful on the vexed issue of open grazing and associated acts of terror by Fulani herders in the South East zone.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo, at a meeting with the South-East governors in the Government House, Owerri, Imo State, had urged all the governors in the South East of Nigeria to put machinery in motion for laws on anti-open grazing.
This Ohanaeze position, according to a press statement issued by its National Publicity SecretaryChiedozie Alex Ogbonnia, “is rooted in its philosophy for peace and unity in the country.”
Ohanaeze had noted that the major source of conflict between the herdsmen and the Igbo indigenous farmers is the unconscionable open grazing by the herdsmen.
“Nothing can be as disheartening as waking up in the morning to discover that one’s farm has been ravaged by cows. The worst is that any form of protestation by the indigenes against the willful damages will be met with all forms of attacks including, kidnapping, torture, maiming and in some cases killing,” the apex Igbo group spokesman noted.
He added that “It is to curb the conflicts that arise from the herdsmen-farmers relations that in the month of May 2021, the 17 Southern governors resolved on the ban of open grazing in southern states. They recommended that the federal government should support willing states to develop alternative and modern livestock management systems.”
Ogbonnia, therefore, expressed Ohanaeze’s commendation to “Ugwuanyi for keeping faith with the agreement reached by the Southern governors.”
“Ugwuanyi’s assent to this bill is expected to improve on the existing peace and security in Enugu State. Ugwuanyi has shown character and integrity. Ohanaeze Ndigbo owes it a duty to continue to engage other South East governors who are yet to initiate action on the ban on open grazing until the entire South East is free from herders-farmers conflict,” Ohanaeze submitted.
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