The Ogun House of Assembly on Thursday passed a bill to regulate animal grazing and the establishment of cattle ranches in designated grazing areas in the state.
Ganiyu Oyedeji (Ifo 11), the sponsor of the bill, presented the report of the Committee on Agriculture and Forestry during plenary in Abeokuta.
Mr Oyedeji moved the motion for the adoption of the report, seconded by Sola Adams (Ijebu East) and supported by the whole House.
A section of the bill prescribed a three-year jail term without an option of fine including the forfeiture of the herds of cattle or livestock under his/her control to the state government except within the permitted ranches.
Yusuf Sherif (Ado Odo Ota 1), the Majority Leader, moved the motion for the third reading of the bill, seconded by Wahab Haruna (Yewa North 11).
Deji Adeyemo, the clerk of the House, thereafter, read the bill for the third time.
Olakunle Oluomo (Ifo 1), the speaker, ordered that the clean copy of the bill be forwarded to Governor Dapo Abiodun for his assent.
The passage of the bill came two months after 17 southern governors met in Asaba and resolved to ban open grazing in their respective states.
Already, Oyo, Benue, Ekiti, Bayelsa, and Edo States have passed the bill.
The bill in Oyo State, which prescribed a five-year jail term or N500,000 fine for anyone found guilty of openly grazing livestock, elicited an outcry, with the Fulani herdsmen in the state threatening to sue the lawmakers.
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