S/East, S/South Houses Of Assembly Reject Grazing Bill

By Maria Use Nwachi

THE legislators of the South East and South South House of
Assemblies have rejected the controversial Grazing Bill presently
before the Senate, saying that the bill should not be considered in
any of the House Assemblies in the two regions.
This was even as the legislators have urged the Federal
Government to restore the amnesty programme as a way of
quelling the resurgent militancy in the Niger Delta.

Arising from their joint session in Owerri, the Imo state capital,
the legislators said they are going to pass a bill restricting the
proposed grazing bill in the two regions.
Speaking during the first ever joint plenary held at the Imo State
House of Assembly, the Speaker of Imo State House of
Assembly, Dr. Acho Ihim who presided over the joint plenary,
noted that the joint session has become necessary because of
their shared social, economic, religious and even political interest,
which will afford them the opportunity to discuss their collective
problems.

Ihim who is also the Vice President of Commonwealth
Parliamentary Association (CPA), said that the apparent
marginalization of the two regions which is evident in the
distribution of national wealth, adding that the deprivation of the
people in terms of equity, justice and fairness as well as
incessant attacks on the people of the zone, gruesome murder of
their kit and kin by the Fulani herdsmen killer squad even in their
bedrooms are critical issues that require genuine solution to free
the zone from the menace.

Moving a motion titled “Alternative to Militancy and Harmonization
of Southeast and South-South position on Grazing Bill Proposal’,
Hon. Blessing Nwagba of the Abia State House of Assembly, said
that they cannot keep silent while their constituents are being
killed by Fulani herdsmen all in the name of rearing cattle.
She pointed out that the cattle rearing business is a private
venture, adding that those involved should take care of their
business.

The lawmaker noted that the growing insecurity and culture of
impunity being perpetrated by the Fulani herdsmen must be
checked.

In his contribution, Hon. Hilary Bisong of Cross River state said
that since the people of the South-east and South-south are
predominately into farming, fishery and other businesses, if the
Federal Government plans any grazing reserves for the Fulani
herdsmen, it should also provide reserves for the farmers and
fishermen, adding that the federal government should not think of
using the people’s common wealth to settle a segment of the
country.

He equally noted that the real owners of the cows are rich men
who should establish ranches for their cattle as it is the practice
elsewhere and that public resources cannot be used to fund
private businesses.

Similarly, a legislator from Bayelsa State wondered if any person
from the southeast and south-south can go to the North and
start farming in any land without permission.
Hon. Frank Nwaka of Ebonyi State said that the zones have
suffered so much deprivation, decimation and loss of lives,
adding that no life can be exchanged for a common animal, while
insisting that cows should not be allowed to wander about as if
they are sacred cows.

The Deputy Speaker, Imo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon.
Ugonna Ozuruigbo submitted that the total rejection of the
grazing bill proposal has no option, revealing that the bill when
passed will have a commission with a chairman to be appointed
by the President to allocate lands to Fulani herdsmen and that
the persons who have forfeited their lands cannot go to court,
adding that their petition will only be approved by the Attorney
General of the Federation for it to be given attention, while
commending the southeast and south-south lawmakers for
condemning the grazing reserve bill in strong terms. He said that
the grazing bill has nothing good to offer to the country, espe­
cially the two zones but that it will cause more communal
clashes.

They resolved that the Southeast and South-South House of
Assemblies should pass bill restricting the grazing reserves bill,
while urging the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to
step up action, by calling on the security agents to fish out the
persons behind the atrocities meted out to the regions and
provide the necessary security for the people.

The lawmakers of the two zones also resolved that task forces
comprising security agents be set up to checkmate the excesses
of the Fulani herdsmen.

They also called on the southeast and south-south governments
to set up panel of inquiries to ascertain the reasons behind the
menace.

In the same vein, the law makers called on the Federal
Government to look into the grievances of the militants and find
ways of addressing their agitation.

PHOTO: My ever humble speaker, Right Hon. Ogbonnaya Francis
Nwifuru, deputy leader, hon. Ogbonna Kingsley Ikoro, with other
honourable members from SE/SS. My fellow honourable
members from Ebonyi house of assembly: Hon. Victor Chukwu ,
the princess of EBHA, Hon. Barr. Chika Augusta Ude, Hon. Victor
Aleke & others.