A renowned Environmentalist and Human Rights Activist, Mr Alagoa Morris, has lauded Governor Seriake Dickson for the recent ban on open grazing and restriction of activities of herdsmen in Bayelsa.
Giving his opinion on the ban, Mr Alagoa pointed out that the ban on open grazing was timely and a right step to preserve the economic interests of farmers in the state.
According to him farmers in the state had lost their crops to uncontrolled grazing by cattle, a development that has led to conflicts between farmers and herdsmen.
The activist urged the state government to consolidate the restriction of herdsmen and plans to establish cattle ranches in the state with an enabling legislation.
“I applaud the governor for listening to the yearnings of farmers across Bayelsa. It shows that the government in Bayelsa is a listening one. It shows that government is sensitive to the media reports on radio.
“They say in local parlance that ‘fence makes good neighbours, you know your limits, that is why if actually they are going to talk about and strategise about this ranch of a thing, I will say,it will help.
“The farmers should know their limits, the nomadic people will also know their limit because this nomadic life should have a limit. It should stop. In other developed clime, they don’t do that.
“And all these types of things are taken as indices of development. Allowing these cattle to move about anyhow in this nomadic fashion also shows that we are far from development. The proposed ranch as good as it is, should be followed up with a legislation, a holistic legislation,” he insisted.
Mr Alagoa observed that an enabling law would provide a legal framework to penalise and prosecute offenders and recommend appropriate punishment that would deter potential offenders.
He advised the government to ensure that the legislation should work out details of ownership of the ranches and other salient conditions to forestall future conflicts with communities where the ranches would be sited.
The State government had on December 9 announced the restriction of the activities of herdsmen in the state to the Bayelsa Palm area.
It says the decision will prevent the invasion of farmlands and check any security breaches.
Governor Dickson, who issued the restriction order in a live radio and television interview in Yenagoa, said the measure had become imperative, in view of the recent upsurge in violence and criminal activities of the cattle rearers in some parts of Nigeria.
He also warned cattle rearers against bearing arms in the course of grazing their livestock, threatening that anyone caught with weapons would be dealt with in accordance with the law.