AKSG INAUGURATE LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEES ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE LAW TO PROHIBIT OPEN REARING AND GRAZING OF LIVESTOCK
In a follow-up to the recent inauguration of the state committee on the implementation of the law to prohibit open rearing and grazing of livestock by Akwa Ibom State Government, the Chairman of the state committee and Honourable Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Glory Edet has today, Monday 25th October, inaugurated the Local Government Committees on the Implementation of the said law.
A brief inauguration ceremony which took place at Governor’s Office Annex, Uyo had in attendance the state Attorney General and Honourable Commissioner for Justice, Uko Udom. SAN, Local Government Chairmen led by the ALGON Chairman drawn from across the 31 LGAs of the state, Permanent Secretaries, Royal Fathers, Community Leaders, the Commissioner of Police, Honourable Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters, Agriculture Supervisors, Local Government Land Officers, Chairman of Central Abattoir, and a host of others.
In her remarks, Dr. Edet appreciated Governor Udom for sponsoring various programmes and activities for farmers which according to her are geared towards improving their level of productivity. While appreciating the Governor for signing into law the Anti-Grazing Bill, she explained that the core responsibility of the committee is to implement the law without being biased, regulation and control and for other matters therein at the state level as well as the grassroots level.
“This law is not to witch-hunt anybody but to protect lives and properties of both crop farmers and livestock farmers, irrespective of where you come from”, she added.
The committee she said will be chaired by all serving Local Government Chairmen and will have Directors of Agricultural Services as Secretaries, Local Government Lands Officers, Chairmen of Area Council of Traditional Rulers and a Community Leader appointed by the Chairman as members of the committee.
She charged the committee to be proactive in the discharge of their duties and warned herders against carrying dangerous weapons around, adding that defaulters will be made to face the full weight of the law.
Also Speaking, the Honourable Commissioner of Justice and Attorney General, Mr. Uko Udom SAN, noted that the law is not to hunt anyone and make life unbearable for them but to protect the rights of farmers in all categories and also encourage them to live together in unity while going about their businesses. He Congratulated the newly inaugurated committee executives and charged them to take the responsibility given to them seriously.
In a vote of thanks, the Chairman of Esit Eket LGA and ALGON Chairman, Rt. Hon. Iniobong Robson appreciated the Hon Commissioner for being passionate in the discharge of her duties and for her proactiveness in taking a step forward to protect both the crop farmers and livestock farmers. He assured the state committee that he will liase with relevant stakeholders and his colleagues to ensure strict compliance to the law.
The event also featured questions and answers session from farmers and agriculture stakeholders respectively.
IBOM VOICE MEDIA 