By Olayemi Esan
Oyo State House of Assembly lawmakers have advised Governor Seyi Makinde to immediately ensure the implementation of the anti-open grazing law.
The anti-open grazing law was passed by the members of the Assembly in October 2019.
The law prohibits grazing of livestock in public, streets, or within the towns across the state.
We gathered that the law has not been implemented since it was passed two years ago.
The passage of the law was a sequel to a bill introduced by some members of the Assembly.
Those who introduced the bill included the Speaker, Adebo Ogundoyin; Deputy Speaker, Muhammad Abiodun Fadeyi; and other principal officers of the assembly.
The state lawmakers have however called on the executive arm of the government to ensure implementation of the law.
The lawmakers, during their plenary on Thursday, also expressed concern over the possible rise in herders/farmers clashes in most agrarian communities in the state.
They maintained that there is the possibility of farmers/herders conflicts as the dry season approaches.
The lawmakers then called on the executive arm of government to put measures in place for the implementation of the Anti-Open Grazing Prohibition Law.
This was the resolution of the lawmakers while contributing to a motion on the need to put measures in place to forestall herdsmen/farmers’ clashes in the state.
The motion was jointly brought to the Assembly by Hon Francis Adetunji (Oluyole) and Hon Saminu Gbadamosi (Atisbo/Saki East).
The lawmakers said, “As the dry season approaches, herders and their cattle from the fast drying North will be moving down to the West to get greener pastures for their animals.
“The concern is that the herders would not restrict grazing of their cattle to uncultivated farmlands alone. Experiences in the past would remind us of the bitter tales our farmers have had to tell.
“Many of our farmers have left their farms for either the fear of being killed by notorious herders or because of great losses they have recorded overtimes due to the wanton destruction of their farms by these set of people and their animals.”
Speaker of the Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin, in his remarks, maintained that continuous destruction of farmlands by Fulani herders and their cattle was unacceptable.
Ogundoyin, who presided over the plenary, maintained that security agencies must work together to ensure that the issue of farmers/herders is addressed.
He said, “Our security agents, Amotekun Corps and other vigilance groups must work together to address this menace and arrest these agents of destruction.
“We cannot afford to have an increase in the activities of Fulani herders on our farms”.
Source: DailyPost
WEF Report: Minister Expresses Displeasure with Indices, Inaugurates Boards
By Olayemi Esan
Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, on Thursday expressed displeasure with the indices on technological readiness reported by World Economic Forum (WEF).
Onu said that the latest report, 2018/2019 rated “our institution’s global competiveness ranking on a scale of seven points at 2.94, technological readiness at 1.82 and innovation at 2.17 respectively.
“This scenario implies (performance of) 42 per cent, 26 per cent and 31 per cent for institution, technological readiness and innovation,’’ he said.
The Minister said this showed that the ministry has a lot of work to do.
He said the administration was on the path of repositioning and strengthening the ministry and its agencies to emphasise the desire to contribute to national development.
At the event held in Abuja, the Minister therefore inaugurated 12 governing boards, councils of agencies and institutes of the ministry.
He said the inauguration is remarkable in the history of the ministry due to the Global Competitiveness Report of the WEF.
Onu hinted that the ministry had additional responsibility from the Federal Government of being assigned the role of custodian of all the fundamentals of innovation in Nigeria.
The minister assured that a new rebranded ministry was emerging with the commitment of all stakeholders within the STI ecosystem.
“The ministry is poised to engage the sub-national levels of governance including states and local governments.
“Our presence at the state level will provide opportunity to use STI in the supply value-chain in agricultural production, business development of micro, small, medium enterprises and the academia in a constructive strategic framework.
“We shall establish six technology and innovation centres for global competitiveness in line with the presidential Executive Order 05,’’ Onu said.
He said the new appointees had an important role to play in achieving the noble goals spelt out and expressed optimism that with all hands on deck, Nigeria would become self-reliant.
Dr. Onu charged them to be innovative with their suggestions, contributions, involvement and dispositions to the strategic elements to drive accomplishments of the mandates of their agencies.