A renowned
Environmentalist and Human Rights Activist, Mr Alagoa Morris, has lauded
Governor Seriake Dickson for the recent ban on open grazing and restriction of
activities of herdsmen in Bayelsa.
Giving his
opinion on the ban, Mr Alagoa pointed out that the ban on open grazing was
timely and a right step to preserve the economic interests of farmers in the
state.
According to
him farmers in the state had lost their crops to uncontrolled grazing by
cattle, a development that has led to conflicts between farmers and herdsmen.
The activist
urged the state government to consolidate the restriction of herdsmen and plans
to establish cattle ranches in the state with an enabling legislation.
“I applaud the
governor for listening to the yearnings of farmers across Bayelsa. It shows
that the government in Bayelsa is a listening one. It shows that government is
sensitive to the media reports on radio.
“They say in
local parlance that ‘fence makes good neighbours, you know your limits, that is
why if actually they are going to talk about and strategise about this ranch of
a thing, I will say,it will help.
“The farmers
should know their limits, the nomadic people will also know their limit because
this nomadic life should have a limit. It should stop. In other developed
clime, they don’t do that.
“And all these
types of things are taken as indices of development. Allowing these cattle to
move about anyhow in this nomadic fashion also shows that we are far from
development. The proposed ranch as good as it is, should be followed up with a
legislation, a holistic legislation,” he insisted.
Mr Alagoa
observed that an enabling law would provide a legal framework to penalise and
prosecute offenders and recommend appropriate punishment that would deter
potential offenders.
He advised the
government to ensure that the legislation should work out details of ownership
of the ranches and other salient conditions to forestall future conflicts with
communities where the ranches would be sited.
The State
government had on December 9 announced the restriction of the activities of
herdsmen in the state to the Bayelsa Palm area.
It says the
decision will prevent the invasion of farmlands and check any security
breaches.
Governor
Dickson, who issued the restriction order in a live radio and television
interview in Yenagoa, said the measure had become imperative, in view of the
recent upsurge in violence and criminal activities of the cattle rearers in
some parts of Nigeria.
He also warned
cattle rearers against bearing arms in the course of grazing their livestock,
threatening that anyone caught with weapons would be dealt with in accordance
with the law.
Channelstv
0 Comments