The governor of Delta State, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa on Thursday signed a bill into law banning open grazing in the state.
This is in line with the consensus of the Southern Governors Forum at a meeting held on September 16 in Enugu, where they were reminded about the need to enact or amend the anti-open grazing law to align with the mandate of the forum.
Okowa signed the bill on Thursday at the Government House in Asaba, the state capital.
This comes a week after members of the Delta State House of Assembly passed the bill Prohibiting Open Grazing, Indiscriminate Breeding, Rearing, and Marketing of Livestock in Delta State.
The motion to ban open grazing was adopted by the lawmakers after a motion by the Majority Leader of the House, Ferguson Onwo during plenary on Tuesday.
In his statement, the Speaker Sheriff Oborevwori said, “Through the passage of this bill, the State House of Assembly has demonstrated its resolve to protect Deltans (residents) from the menace of clashes between herders and farmers.
“With the passage of this bill, well-meaning persons who seek to carry on the business of breeding, rearing, and marketing of livestock shall do so within the boundaries of the law. Also, farmers can now go about their businesses without fear of anyone grazing on their crops. This for sure will boost food production in the state.
“I commend all the sponsors of this bill for recognising that the security of lives and properties of Deltans, as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as altered), remains sacrosanct.”