In a clear departure from its combative style Miyetti Allah, the umbrella body of cattle breeders in the country has begged the Lagos state government to give its members time to comply with the anti-open grazing law. This is the first time the group has shown its readiness to abide by such laws.
For instance, The national body of the breeders, had during the week, attacked Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo state for passing the law that stops open grazing of cows in the state. In defiance, the breeders said they will not obey the law.
Lagos state, in compliance, with the Southern Governors Forum, SGF resolve to address the issue of farmers/ herders’ clashes, is on the verge of passing the law which bars pastoralists from grazing their animal openly. The anti-open Grazing Bill has already passed Second Reading in the state House of Assembly.
Miyetti Allah appears to understand the implication of the bill when it’s eventually signed into law by the state Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the reason why it has now decided to pacify the government to delay its implementation.
According to the south-west chapter of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, MACBAN, cattle breeders need time time to train its members on how to abide by the new law.
The Zonal Secretary of the body, Maikudi Usman, said on Wednesday that his members needed to be educated first on how to abide by the law.
He said “our breeders are not used to breeding cattle in one place. They move from here to another place. When we say we’ll keep cattle in one place, the owner of the cattle will not have funds to feed the animals in one place,” Usman said.
“They’ve already depended on going from one place to another. Because in the rainy season time, we have where we settle down, and we also have for the dry season.
“We are pleading with Lagos state government to give us time to go tell our people and train them how they will be breeding cattle in one place and not transfer to anybody’s land.
“But breeding in one place, right now, our people do not have the power to do so. What you’re not used to, you have to be taught. And gradually, everybody will understand,” the scribe said.
When passed, Lagos would have joined other Southern states which have already passed the anti-open grazing law. The Governors of the 18 states in Southern part of Nigeria had met in Asaba, Delta state in July where they agreed to enact the law in their various states.
