The Oyo State House of Assembly has allayed the fears of the herdsmen in the state that the anti-open grazing law being put in place will terminate their means of livelihood.
The Assembly is working on the bill, which has passed Second Reading.
But, a Fulani group, the Gan Allah Fulani Development Association of Nigeria, on Friday, appealed to the Assembly to consider an alternative grazing space for their members in the law being put in place. They described it as settled grazing.
Addressing reporters in Ibadan, the state capital on Friday, the group, led by its National President Alhaji Sale Bayari, called on the Assembly to give the law a human face by allowing an alternative grazing space for the herdsmen should the law become absolutely necessary.
Read Also: Oyo Assembly approves Makinde’s N10b loan request
But the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Kazeem Olayanju, told The Nation on telephone yesterday that the herdsmen in the state have nothing to fear about the law because it was aimed at regulating grazing in a way that would protect them and other members of the society.
Olayanju explained that the Assembly recognises that herdsmen have lived together peacefully with indigenes for several decades, adding that the lawmakers are aware that they have fully integrated into the various communities where they live and do their business.
According to him, rather than ban open grazing totally, the bill is proposing registration of herdsmen for issuance of permits.
His words: “Our people have been living together peacefully with the Fulani for ages. But the popular claim now is that Fulani are criminals. It is also believed that the Fulani that are committing crime are those coming from other countries. So, the bill will make them register and get permits and identity cards. So, if they are accosted anywhere in the state, their ID cards and permits will clear them as well known Fulani, who are free to practice their trade. This will help check the influx of foreigners into their midst. It will also protect them. We just want to regulate them so that nobody will harass them. It will also enable them to live peacefully with farmers. This law will also enhance peaceful relationship among stakeholders in the farming system in the state.”
The Fulani group had pleaded: “We are pleading with the Oyo State House of Assembly to ensure that as interested and affected citizens of the pending law, we deserve to be heard and listened to during the public hearing of the bill so that our views and opinions as Nigerians are heard and considered without bias against or favour.”
Olayanju said a public hearing might hold on the bill before its Third Reading.
Leave a Reply