Governor Simon Lalong.
By Abasifreke Effiong
Governor Simon Lalong has approved the transmission of an executive Bill that will regulate livestock business including prohibition of open grazing, to Plateau State House of Assembly.
Lalong gave a nod to forward the Bill to the House of Assembly during State Executive Council meeting on Tuesday.
Director of Public Affairs and Publicity, Mr. Makut Macham said in a release that the Bill seeks to domesticate the National livestock transformation programme and will promote livestock business anchored on ranching.
The Plateau State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mr. Dan Manjang, who briefed journalists after the State Executive Council meeting said the bill is to facilitate smooth transition from open grazing to ranching.
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Manjang said Plateau state government has been working assiduously to put in place all necessary requirements for the take-off of the model ranching programme at the Wase and Kanam Reserves which are wholly owned by the state government.
He assured that once the programme takes-off and alternatives are provided, people will no longer be allowed to move around with livestock in the State.
Already, local and international investors have shown interest in putting their money in the pilot phase of the livestock transformation program.
Secretary of the State Livestock Implementation Committee Prof. John Wade said the programme has zero land- grabbing as nobody’s land will be appropriated for ranching.
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The government he said will put into use its gazetted reserves in Wase and Kanam for the take off and thereafter, anyone who wants to go into ranching will follow the guidelines provided by the law.
He said the State is approaching ranching strictly as a business hence the directive by the Governor for robust sensitization to enable more citizens key into modern livestock business.
Wade dispelled the notion that it is one ethnic group that has the monopoly of the business, saying such is incorrect and should be discountenanced while adding that the ranching policy will also accommodate other species of livestock aside from cows.
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Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General Chrysanthus Ahmadu explained that the proposed law takes care of herders, farmers and other interests in the livestock value chain.
Ahmadu said the bill when passed and signed into law will end destruction of farmlands by livestock, clashes between farmers and herders and unnecessary violence that is rooted in the unsavoury relationship between them.
