- Says Assembly Can ’t Be Intimidated
- Lambasts Security Agents For Lacking Action
BY ANDREW IKEHI
STILL worried by the flagrant violation of the state’s Anti-Open Grazing law, the Delta State House of Assembly has declared that it cannot be made to jettison its position, which is the full. The Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly and Chairman, House Committee on Legislative Compliance, Rt. Hon. Arthur Akpowowo made this known, yesterday, in Asaba, during an interface with Assembly correspondents, disclosing that the State Assembly would stop at nothing in ensuring that the law is fully complied with.
Rt. Hon. Akpowowo, while commending some local government councils in the State who have commenced enforcement of the law in their various councils, bemoaned the activities of some security agencies in the State whom he said, have been querying the actions of such local governments against anti-open grazing.
While condemning the actions of such security agencies, the lawmaker noted that the position of the state was clear and firm on the matter, stressing that the bill prohibiting open grazing in the State has since been passed and signed into law. He therefore, call on the various local government councils in the State, particularly those who are yet to commence full scale enforcement of the law to yield the call, up their ante and ensure full compliance.
While saying that the grace period given to all 25 local governments in the state to commence full scale compliance of the law has since elapsed, the lawmaker said that in the coming year, any local government that fell short of expectations would be heavily sanctioned.
“I want to use this medium to call on all the 25 local government councils in the State to step up action in the enforcement of the State’s Anti-open Grazing Law.
“We want to commend some of the councils that have already commenced enforcement. We are aware that some of the local governments that have commenced enforcement were being invited by the Police and State Security Service (SSS) to explain reasons why they debar the movement of cattles within their councils.
“This can’t stop us as we are committed to ensuring that the law is being obeyed to the latter,” Akpowowo said.
On the activities of the State legislature in the outgoing legislative year, the lawmaker scored the House high, saying that a lot was achieved within the 2024 legislative year.
