The Edo house of assembly, yesterday, passed the state’s anti-open grazing bill.
The passage of the bill followed the adoption of a motion by Roland Asoro, deputy speaker of the house, and seconded by Francis Okiye, lawmaker from Esan north-east 1.
Among the provisions listed in the bill include section 5(7), which provides for the governor to constitute a ranch committee that will determine the size of the land suitable for ranching.
The provision of the land will be done in collaboration with the community where the ranch is proposed to be sited.
Section 5(8) makes provision for the committee to control the activities of herders in communities, while section 8 prohibits open grazing.
Marcus Onobun, speaker of the house, thereafter, directed Yahaya Omogbai, the clerk, to forward copies of the bill to the governor for assent.
If Godwin Obaseki, governor of Edo. assents to the bill, the state will join other states such as Benue, Anambra, Delta and Ogun that have banned open grazing.