Lagos Assembly proposes 21-yr jail term for offenders, as anti-open grazing bill nears passage

Anti-open grazing bill in Lagos, Monday, passed its second reading at the State House of Assembly, five days after the September 1 timeline set by the Southern Governors’ Forum for a total ban on open herding of livestock in the region.

The document known as the ‘Prohibition of Open Cattle Grazing Bill’ passed its second reading at the House, as Speaker, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, during the plenary, Monday, said it will ensure a harmonious relationship between herders and farmers in the state when passed, adding further that it would also protect the environment of the state and the south-west.

The bill proposes a 21-year jail term for those who flout the law when eventually passed.  

This is also as the House committed its VAT law to the relevant committee for consideration after it passed its second reading during Monday’s plenary.

Obasa, who described the anti-open grazing bill as timely, suggested that it should make provision for the registration of herders and prepare them for ranching and also protect the environment of the state and the entire southwest zone.

“Allocating parcel of land is not enough, but there should also be training for those who will go into ranching, as ranching is expensive and requires adequate preparation,” he said.

Speaking earlier on the bill, Bisi Yusuff, a member representing Alimosho 1, lamented that farmers had become afraid to visit their farms, thus causing food shortages.

Yusuff said many farmers had become indebted as they now find it difficult to pay back loans they secured.

“Farmers have continuously become afraid to visit their farms thus causing shortage of food. Many farmers have become indebted as they now find it difficult to pay back loans they secured,” he said.

Describing as ‘lamentable’ a situation where cattle are allowed to roam the streets causing accidents and embarrassing people, the lawmaker advocated stiffer penalties for herders caught carrying firearms.

Similarly, Kehinde Joseph, the member representing Alimosho 2, said the bill would ensure peaceful coexistence, reduce crime and help to guide the activities of herders.

He suggested collaboration between the Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps and the police in the implementation of the law when passed and assented to.

On his part, David Setonji, the member representing Badagry 2, said: “There was a time we went on oversight function in a school here in Lagos. We were embarrassed by cattle. We had to wait for the herder to move the cattle before we embarked on our oversight function.”

In his submission, Olumoh Saad Lukeman, representing Ajeromi-Ifelodun 1, suggested that the high court should be made to handle cases bordering on the enforcement of the bill when passed or that the state should establish special courts for such purpose.

For Gbolahan Yishawu, Lagos is a cosmopolitan state and, as such, having to see cattle in the streets is ‘worrisome,’ even as he said it will ‘give a level of security to the state and help reduce economic losses,’ adding that the state has 250 hectares of land in Ikorodu and another 750 hectares in Epe for ranching.

The anti open grazing bill was subsequently committed to the House Committee on Agriculture after it scaled second reading.

When passed into law, Osun in the South West region will remain the state yet to either institute legislation or pass the law on anti-open grazing of cattle.

Ogun House of Assembly has passed the law, but state Governor Dapo Abiodun is yet to assent to it.

Ondo, Oyo and Ekiti states have already enacted the laws after passage by their various Houses of Assembly.

While, Imo is also the only state in the South East yet to commence legislation or even crimialise open grazing.

Ebonyi and the Enugu Houses of Assembly have passed the law, same as Abia.

However, Anambra claims to have legislation already in place to that effect.

In the South South, Edo and Cross River states have no law in place, even as the governors have yet to send the bill to the Houses of Assembly.

Other South South states like Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Bayelsa, and Delta are either still deliberating on the bill, or the governors are waiting to assent to the already passed law.

Similarly, the Lagos House of Assembly also, Monday, considered the VAT Bill and committed same to the Committee on Finance with the mandate to report back on Thursday.

The state’s VAT Bill has also scaled its first and second reading at the House.

Speaker Obasa said the proposed VAT Bill would lead to ‘increase in revenue and increase in infrastructural development which is in line with fiscal federalism that we have been talking about.’

Obasa maintained that the VAT law when passed, would help the state meet challenges in its various sectors, while urging the state government to do everything legally possible to ensure the judgement of a Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, is sustained even up to the Supreme Court.

He lamented a situation where about N500 billion is being generated from Lagos State, while N300 billion is being generated from other southwest states and paltry amounts were disbursed to them in return.

When passed, Lagos will join Rivers as states in the federation with laws for collection and enforcement of the tax, which has been done by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).

“It is an opportunity for us to emphasise again on the need for the consideration of true federalism,” Obasa stressed.