The Bayelsa Government has enacted a law prohibiting open grazing of livestock in the state to ensure harmonious living between cattle dealers and other inhabitants of the state and to forestall violent clashes being experienced in other parts of the country.
Penpushing reports that, Governor Douye Diri, on Wednesday assented to the Livestock Breeding, Rearing and Marketing Regulation Law 2021 at the Executive Chamber of Government House, Yenagoa.
“Bayelsa welcomes all and sundry to eke out a living legitimately. The people of Bayelsa want to have a mutual and harmonious relationship with non-natives and natives.The essence of the law is to avert and forestall any clash between herdsmen, farmers, natives and non-natives as experienced in some states,” he said.
Penpushing further reports that, the Governor explained that the law stipulates that any herdsman found with arms, whether licensed or not, should be arrested, stating that the law established a livestock management committee to regulate livestock activities in the state.
“From the commencement of the law, no person shall breed, rear or trade in livestock in the state in any other place as may be designated by the committee and approved by the state government’, Diri added.
“The law prohibits movement of cattle on foot from other parts of the country into the state, inspection of livestock and certification by veterinary doctors at entry point into the state among others,” he said.
Penpushing also reports that, he said that by assenting to the law, any person found engaging in open grazing of livestock on foot commits an offence and would be arrested and prosecuted with the livestock impounded.
The Governor in a similar development also signed into law the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law 2021, explaining that the law was to prevent certain harmful practices against women and children.
The governor emphasised that with its enactment, Bayelsa has domesticated the federal law, which had been in existence, and the Speaker House of Assembly, Rt Hon Abraham Ingobere, while presenting the bills for the governor’s assent, said the livestock regulation bill was to prevent clashes between herdsmen and farmers.
Penpushing further reports that the Speaker giving an insight into the bill sponsored by Hon Tare Porri said the aim was to eliminate violence against women and to also ensure speedy dispensation of justice.
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