Some elders and opinion leaders in Edo State have commended Governor Godwin Obaseki for the strategy he adopted on anti-open grazing bill.
Mr Obaseki is yet to sign the bill into law after southern leaders proscribed open grazing in the region. States like Ekiti, Lagos, Enugu, Osun and Ondo now have the anti-open grazing law.
Speaking on the delay in signing the bill into law, an elder Godspower Eguasa said in Benin: “The governor, once again, proved this outstanding leadership capacity during the stakeholders’ town hall meeting organised by the state government to deliberate on the proposed anti-open grazing law currently facing the state before a final decision is reached.
“The issue of the passage of the anti-open grazing bill into law to restrict herders and cattle rearers from using open grazing as a means of rearing their cattle is not new as about 10 of the 17 States within the South-South region, including Ekiti, Lagos, Enugu, Osun and Ondo States have flawlessly passed the bill into law.
“Our governor, during the town hall meeting held in Benin at Imaguero Centre, stated that the delay in signing the anti-open grazing bill follows the need to craft an implementable law that will put an end to the growing security and economic challenges in the State.”
Mr Eguasa said the governor believes in a holistic approach to end farmers/herders’ clash.
He said indigenous people of the state, who are into the cattle business, such as butchers, beef sellers, beef consumers, abattoir operators, must be considered before the bill is signed into law.
Also, Alfred Osahon commended the governor for listening to all stakeholders.
“This strategy by the governor will make the law enforceable as it will be a collective decision which will, in turn, eliminate any crisis that might arise subsequently, as is seen in cases of other states that, though the bill has been passed, making the law active is posing a problem because there was no meeting of the mind amongst relevant stakeholder,” he said.
Osahon hailed Obaseki for soliciting funds from the Federal Government to “make the bill come alive.”
