The National Grazing Reserves Agency Bill has passed the first reading stage at the Senate.

National Grazing Agency Bill

The National Grazing Reserves Agency Bill has passed the first reading stage at the Senate. The bill, which is set to establish grazing reserves for cattle and pastoralists across the country, was sponsored by a Senator from Kano Central, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso.

 

According to The Cable, it was read for the first time at the Senate on Wednesday, 22nd of June. This signals that the passage of this bill into law is closer than previously anticipated, while a similar bill has scaled the second reading‎ in the House of Representatives.

 

The bills are coming at a time when reports of attacks by herdsmen across the country are rife, such as the killings in Nimbo, Enugu state and Agatu in Benue state‎.

 

However, interventions by several stakeholders are in the offing. The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, visited the Lamido of Adamawa, Dr Muhammadu Barkindo recently, and held a Town Hall Meeting in Yola, in a bid to stem the tide of such herdsmen/farmers attacks. According to him, “we are creating cattle ranches with facilities, to stop the movement of cows and violent clashes leading to loss of lives and crops”