Ogun Gov Signs Anti-Open Grazing Law

The Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, on Thursday, returned from a foreign trip and signed the Bill to Regulate Animal Grazing and Establishment of Cattle Ranching in Ogun State into law.

Abiodun, shortly after his return, called for a Security Council meeting which was held at the governor’s office, Oke Mosan, Abeokuta and assented to the Bill.

The State House of Assembly had on July 8, 2021, passed the Bill.

Speaker Olakunle Oluomo subsequently transmitted a clean copy to Governor Dapo Abiodun for assent.

The bill was passed after unanimous votes by the lawmakers at the sitting where the bill was read the third time

He said, “Ogun, has enjoyed peace among various ethnic nationalities until the recent farmer-herder skirmishes.

“Cattle rearers have a six-month period of grace before it becomes illegal in Ogun state for cattle rearers to occupy unapproved public areas and private land with their livestock for grazing.”

The law also prohibits the act of moving cattle around public places by herders.

A committee headed by the State Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Adeola Odedina has been set up to midwife the implementation and enforcement of the new law.

A statement by Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Kunle Somorin read that the signing of the anti-open grazing law by the Governor followed the decision of the Southern Governors’ Forum last August, setting the September deadline to pass the law across the Member States.