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Rivers State Exco Endorses Anti-Open Grazing Bill

Published

4 years ago

July 29, 2021

Editor

Rivers State Executive Council has approved the proposed bill that will give legal backing to the ban on open rearing and grazing of livestock in the State.

The endorsement was made at its meeting at Government House, Port Harcourt, which was presided over by Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike on Wednesday.

Briefing journalists after the meeting on Wednesday, the Attorney General of the State and Commissioner for Justice, Prof. Zacchaeus Adangor (SAN) said it was impossible for the State to enforce the resolution of the Southern Nigeria Governors Forum on the ban on open rearing and grazing of livestock without an enabling law.

According to him, the office of the Attorney General of the State did a draft of the legal instrument, which has been adopted by the council.

“You will all recall that on the 11 May 2021, the Southern Nigeria Governors Forum met in Asaba and in that crucial meeting adopted series of resolution, most critical of it was that open rearing and grazing of cattle will remain bannned throughout Southern Nigeria. His Excellency, Governor of Rivers State was part of that meeting.

“But we realised that we don’t have any extant law criminalising or prohibiting open grazing. And so it has become necessary for the office of the Attorney-General of Rivers state to propose a bill for consideration by the State Executive Council.

“That bill came up before council for deliberation. And after exhaustive deliberation and discussion of the highlights of that bill, the same was approved by council for onwards transmission to the Rivers State House of Assembly for necessary legislative action.”

Prof. Adangor said when the bill is passed into and assented to by the State governor, open grazing of livestock will be criminalised and prohibited in any part of the State.

“Now, when that bill is passed into law, it will criminalise, prohibit open rearing or grazing of livestock in Rivers state. If you look at that bill, it is divided into four parts.

“The first part deals with the objectives of the bill; that is what the bill intends to achieve and then also deals with the establishment of the state and local government livestock and ranch administration and control committees.”

Prof. Adangor explained that livestock rearing activities will only be permitted within the precinct of a ranch and such ranch would have been certified by the State government.

“The second part of the bill deals with establishment of ranches and issuance of ranching permit. Third parts deals with prohibition of open rearing and grazing of livestock offences and penalties therefor.

“The final part of the bill deals with miscellaneous provisions including power to arrest, detain and impound trespassing livestock and the jurisdiction of the court to try offences.

“In summary, once that bill is passed, no person will be allowed to openly graze livestock in Rivers State, except within the confines of a ranch. And to establish a ranch you must apply to the state committee for approval. And that committee having regard to the guidelines it is going to issue, may or may not issue approval to establish a ranch.”

He also said that council approved proposed Rivers State Residence Registration Agency Bill that will make it mandatory for residents of the State to be registered, including any visitor staying in the state beyond two weeks.

“We thought that it is necessary for Rivers State government to have a bill that will require mandatory registration of all residents in Rivers State. In other words, that bill makes provision for mandatory registration by every person who lives and does business in Rivers State.

“That bill is going to establish an agency that will superintendent the implementation of that bill. So if you come to Rivers state and you are going to stay in the state for a period of more than 2 weeks, you will be bound to register.

“Of course, you can register in person or register electronically. And if you fail to register, that constitute an offence under the bill when passed into law.”

The Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Fred Kpakol also addressed the journalists and said that council approved the construction of a modern abattoir at Mgbuosimini in Rumueme of Obio-Akpor Local Government area of the State.

According to him, the new abattoir will be an integrated facility sitting on a 21 plot of land by the seashore and provide healthier beef for Rivers residents.

Related Topics:Open Grazing Ranches Rivers State

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Headline

Adeleke Rejoices with Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Akanbi at 58

Published

9 hours ago

June 21, 2025

Eric

The Executive Governor of Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has rejoiced with the Paramount ruler of Iwoland, HIM Oba Abdulrasheed Adewale Akanbi, Telu I, on the occasion of his 58th birthday, lauding the foremost traditional ruler’s passionate commitment to uplifting humanity.

A statement by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mallam Olawale Rasheed rveals tgat the Governor acknowledges Oba Akanbi’s exceptional sense of dedication to the advancement of Iwoland, utilising contacts and his God-given resources to facilitate developments, praising him for leading the charge for the remarkable transformation that Iwoland is experiencing under his reign.

The Governor commends the frontline monarch for the shared vision for growth and impactful governance, hailing him as a model for purposeful leadership given the monumental progress that Iwoland is recording under this rulership.

“I rejoice with His Imperial Majesty, Oba Abdulrasheed Adewale Akanbi, Telu I, on the occasion of his birthday. Oba Akanbi is a visionary leader and his steadfast pursuit of a virile and prosperous Iwoland is truly inspiring,” the Governor was quoted in a congratulatory message.

“On this day, I honour Kabiyesi’s exceptional contributions to the promotion of our tradition and the endearing effort in fostering peace and harmony in Iwoland and Osun state as a whole.

“It is my prayer that Kabiyesi’s new age brings him more joy and abundant blessings. I also beseech God Almighty to give him more grace to continue his life of service and impact.”

Headline

Coalition Group Floats New Party, ADA, Seeks INEC Registration

Published

1 day ago

June 20, 2025

Eric

The National Opposition Coalition Group, led by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and ex-Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has formally applied to the Independent National Electoral Commission for the registration of a new political party—the All Democratic Alliance.

The application, dated June 19, was acknowledged by INEC on Friday, signalling the coalition’s determination to float a new platform instead of aligning with any existing political party.

The formation of ADA, backed by some other key political heavyweights, including former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi and Umar Ardo, convener of the League of Northern Democrats and former aide to President Olusegun Obasanjo, seeks to capitalise on mounting public dissatisfaction and political realignments to stop President Bola Tinubu at the next poll.

The application comes just a few days after INEC warned political groups that no amount of pressure or public sentiment would override the need for strict compliance with constitutional and electoral guidelines.

The commission reiterated that party registration remains a rigorous constitutional process—not merely a political declaration.

With Thursday’s application, the national opposition coalition has now put an end to weeks of speculation about whether it would revive a dormant political platform or launch a fresh one altogether.

A copy of the application letter, obtained by our correspondent in Abuja, was jointly signed by the association’s Protem National Chairman, Chief Akin A. Rickets, and Protem National Secretary, Abdullahi Elayo.

The letter partly read, “We respectfully write to the Independent National Electoral Commission, requesting the registration of our association, the All Democratic Alliance, as a political party.

“This is a sequel to the decision taken by the Nigerian National Coalition Group to sponsor our association for full registration.

“The name of the party shall be All Democratic Alliance with ADA as our acronym and ‘Justice for All’ as our slogan.”

The coalition also submitted relevant documents, including the party’s constitution, manifesto, logo, and minutes of its foundational meetings.

The party’s symbol prominently features a maize (corn), which the applicants say represents abundance, resilience, and sustenance—core ideals they hope to promote.

“We have further attached our manifesto encompassing details of our party ideology and our constitution providing the legal framework that defines our identity, structures, and organisation,” the letter continued.

The Punch

Headline

Atiku Dismisses Tinubu’s Visit to Benue As Political Grandstanding

Published

2 days ago

June 20, 2025

Eric

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s recent visit to Benue, calling it a ‘political spectacle’ rather than a sincere effort to address the State’s security issues or sympathise with victims of violence.

Atiku’s media adviser Paul Ibe made the comments during a media interview in Abuja on Thursday. He accused the Tinubu administration of focusing on political drama instead of finding real solutions to the growing insecurity in Nigeria.

Ibe said: “It’s commendable when a leader empathises with the people; offering a shoulder to lean on and sharing in their grief is a mark of true leadership. However, the visit was marred by political theatrics. Children were lined up on the highway, waving at the president in the rain; subjecting them to such conditions was unnecessary.”

He also criticised the government’s failure to tackle the root causes of insecurity, pointing out that despite the deaths of over 200 people in recent attacks, there have been no arrests.

“The same security agencies that failed to prevent or investigate this tragedy were quick to tear gas peaceful protesters demanding accountability for their safety. This is unacceptable,” Ibe said.

He further took aim at the Tinubu administration’s general handling of governance, accusing it of misunderstanding the real nature of Nigeria’s security problems.

“When you misdiagnose a problem, the solution will inevitably be flawed; garbage in, garbage out. Look at the individuals heading the security portfolios: they’re politicians, not experts. They’re focused on political gains rather than the demands of their roles,” he remarked.

He stressed the importance of inclusivity in governance, arguing that the exclusion of certain regions, religions, and ethnic groups by the Tinubu government has worsened instability.

“Inclusiveness is a tool for national unity and stability. When you dismiss or alienate people, they will inevitably create chaos,” Ibe stated.

Ibe also criticised the administration’s early focus on the 2027 elections, saying it has distracted from more urgent national concerns.

“The focus on 2027 is distracting from pressing issues, leaving problems unaddressed and insecurity rampant. There’s nothing new this administration has introduced to tackle these challenges,” he added.

His comments come at a time of growing public frustration with the federal government’s response to insecurity.