The Akwa Ibom State Government has inaugurated a fourteen-membrr committee to monitor enforcement of the recently enacted "Law to prohibit Open Rearing and Grazing of Livestocks and Provide for the Establishment of Ranches and Livestock Administration, Regulation and Control, and Matters Connected therewith" in the state.

Performing the inauguration today, at the Government House, Uyo, the State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem, clarified that the law is not targeted at any group of persons but was necessitated by the rising need to ensure orderly organization of agricultural activities across the country, including Akwa Ibom State.

This, he stated, would be in the best interest of the entire Nigerian populace who need both the vegetables and tubers of the crop farmer as well as the meat and dairy products of the livestock farmer to balance his diet, stressing that a healthy population makes a healthy nation.

"The typical staple food on the table of an average Nigerian is a symbiosis of livestock products and crops: the swallow such as our garri, pounded yam, amala, the meat, fish and the vegetables. ...the law is not anti any person. It is to make sure that we eat balanced diet, because if cattle destroys the vegetable component of what we eat, all the vitamins will be lost.When you ensure balanced diet, the population of Nigeria will be healthy and when the population is heathy we have a productive population".

He reiterated that, as stated while signing the bill into law on September 18, 2021, that the major objectives of this law is to promote modern techniques of animal husbandry, create job opportunities and expand the value chain in livestock business and promote the production of high quality of livestock in the state in accordance with international best practices, rather than a witch-hunt tool against anyone.

Highlighting the Committee's mandate therefore, the Governor said it shall, among other functions and powers, develop an integrated modern livestock development and production plan for the state, develop guidelines for the implementation of an integrated livestock production policy and make recommendations to the governor, consider and determine the suitability of a location proposed for establishment of a ranch in the state, ensure that livestock are reared at permitted ranches to prevent straying, impound any livestock that is left to graze outside a ranch and encourage peaceful coexistence between the ranchers, farmers and host communities.

The functions also include to prescribe guidelines for minimum hygiene standards for meat and dairy activities in personal, commercial and general ranches, inaugurate same committee at the Local Government level, give approval to the Local Government Committee for the establishment of Ranches in the Local Government Area, collaborate with relevant Ministries, Local Government Committee established under Section 12 and Department of Livestock at each LGA to ensure effective implementation of the Law in the State and any other functions incedental to the law or as may be directed by the State Governor.

Responding on behalf of the Committee members, the Chairman and Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Glory Edet, thanked God for blessing the State with fertile soil and good environment that support both crops and livestocks farming. She commended the leadership of Governor Udom Emmanuel for ensuring peace in the State and taking steps to secure the agricultural sector in the State by protecting the interest of the various parties in the sector.

Dr. Edet assured that the committee will make the State proud by ensuring a balance of interest between the crop and animal farmers in the State, adding that the committee will work in synergy with security agencies to ensure the enforcement of the law in the state.

Also speaking, the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Uko Udom, SAN, and a member of the committee, said the inauguration of the committee was the first step towards enforcement of the anti open grazing law.
He explained that the committee will soon constitute sub-committees for public enlightenment and information, monitoring and surveillance, enforcement and other functions, to enhance its effective operation, stressing that the law was vioid of any political element.

The Committee also has the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Mrs. Mary Bassey as Secretary .Other members include; the Honorary Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, Fubara Duke,Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Security, Capt.Iniobong Ekong(rtd.),Permanent Secretaries in the Ministries of Lands and Water Resources,TPL.Aniekan Akpan(Ag.),Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs,Elder Ini Ikie ,Environment and Solid Minerals, Nsudo Nsudo and that of Health, Dr.Patrick Essiet. Also included in the Committee are the State Surveyor- General,Surv.(Mrs)Emem Isang ,Director of Verterinary Services and Livestocks,Ministry of Agriculture, Dr.Obot Obot, Director of Animal Husbandry, Ministry of Agriculture, Aniefiok Isong,Director of Forestry in the Ministry of Environment and Solid Minerals, Etido Eyo as well as the Director-General of the Akwa Ibom State Neighborhood Safety Agency,among others.

MEDIA UNIT
OFFICE OF THE SSG
08/10/2021

Good no time for invaders again. But make dem execute am well be koko. All this penel go still chop their own money commot

This is how it is being done. Instead of one region issuing empty threats and killing themselves that they want to hurt the President.

Nice one. Let all invading parasites embrace modern day ranching or go back to whatever barren land they came from.