The House Committee on Agricultural Production and Services has finalized its 2-day public hearing on “The Urgent need to Address Incessant Clashes between Herdsmen, Farmers and their Host Communities”. The hearing which commenced on Tuesday, 26th of April 2016 was geared towards finding a lasting solution to the recent violent clashes between herdsmen and farmers that have threatened the security of the country.
At the hearing presided by Hon. Mohammed Tahir Monguno (APC: Borno), Chairman of the Committee, members of the general public including stakeholders from Ministries, Departments and Agencies, Civil Society Organizations, and various interest groups expressed concerns over some of the provisions contained in the National Grazing Route & Reserve Bill. 2016 (HB 388). The participants also unanimously agreed that the proposed Bill was likely to have devastating consequences among landholders and herdsmen if passed into law.
After careful review of the Bill, the following concerns were specifically raised;
- That the Bill would empower the Commission to acquire lands belonging to private owners and turn it into cattle routes or reserves for herdsmen.
- That the Bill does not specify how the land acquired would be apportioned to the grazers
- That the Bill empowers the Commission with the sole responsibility on deciding who would have access to the land.
- That the Bill seeks to protect the communities of herdsmen against landowners. It was also posited that it was landowners who needed more protection.
- That the Bill seeks to forcibly seize lands from indigenes of farming communities.
There were also contributions urging the Committee to make some amendments to the following Bills:
- A Bill for an Act to Amend the National Agricultural Land Development Authority Act CAP No. 4,LFN, 2004.
- A Bill for an Act to Amend the Veterinary Surgeons Act CAP No. 3, LFN, 2004 to reduce the members of the Veterinary Council of Nigeria.
- A Bill for an Act to Regulate the Manufacturing, Importation, Distribution and Quality Control of Fertilizers in Nigeria Act CAP V38, LFN,2004 and for other matters connected therewith and; A Bill for an Act to Repeal the National Fertilizers Board Act.
It is expected that the House Committee would report back its findings back to the House.The Senate Committee on Agriculture has also promised to hold a public hearing on the same issue soon.
