Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, Tuesday, inaugurated a 19-member Livestock Management Committee to enforce the law banning open grazing in the State.
Inaugurating the committee in Asaba, Okowa said the committee was part of the provisions of the anti-open grazing law, charging members of the committee to ensure that the law was effectively implemented in the best interest of citizens of the state.
He said: “A few weeks ago, the Delta State House of Assembly passed the Delta State Livestock, Breeding, Rearing and Marketing Regulation Bill 2021.
“I must thank them sincerely for putting a seal in the law, which was an Executive Bill following the resolution of the Southern Governors’ Forum, which met in Asaba.
“I want to use this medium to thank members who have accepted to serve in the committee. There is no doubt that we have been living peacefully with our brothers from the North.
“Unfortunately, over time we have a lot of persons who have come into our bushes and many times unknown to those whom our people relate with and they have turned our bushes into a den of criminality.
“They have been involved in kidnapping, killings and raping of our women and extorting people going about their legitimate businesses.
“Some of them deliberately take their cattle to farms and consume crops belonging to farmers, and obviously, this is not acceptable.
“So, this law is put together to regulate livestock management in the state.”
Okowa explained that in constituting the committee, the government ensured that there were representatives of the Delta State Cattle Rearers and Breeders Association and the Butchers Union in the committee.
He said government was not also unmindful of those who went about their normal businesses of cattle-rearing without infringing on the rights of farmers
The governor added that there was need to be protective of farmers and to fish out every criminal element who had remained a security threat to the state.
Responding, Chairman of the Committee, who is Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mr. Julius Egbedi, thanked the governor for the opportunity to serve, assuring that the committee would carry out the task in the best interest of the people.
The committee has Mr David Tonwe, Matthew Ossai, Christopher Owho, Otogo Samuel, Julius Omunizua, Dr Charles Diai as members.
Others are Austine Duru, Jonah Nwigwe, Victor Duruegbuso, Cletus Bebefagha, Michael Esegba, Victor Okolie, Erhuvwu Akpoghene, Frank Aghara, Christian Edhughoro, Alhaji Shuwa Adamu, Mr. Chuks Acha and Dr Augustine Ojogbo, as Secretary.
