GRAZING BILL WILL SOLVE RUSTLING, MISUNDERSTOOD BY MANY - KARIMI

Hon. Steve Sunday Karimi

A member of the House of Representatives representing Yagba Federal Constituency in Kogi State, Mr. Sunday Karimi, has advised people to seek understanding of issues before opposing them.

Karimi, the sponsor of the contentious National Grazing Routes and Reserves Bill, in a statement in Abuja yesterday, said the public outcry over the bill was hasty and unnecessary, as many have not read the content and digest it.

According to him, the bill does not prejudice the right of the state to establish and legislate on grazing reserves to be controlled by them or establish ranches and criminalise indiscriminate grazing.

The lawmaker said the bill will solve rustling, herdsmen’s violence, among others.

He said suggestions and modifications are welcome from Nigerians, while people are “welcome to the public hearing when scheduled.”

Karimi said contrary to fears that communities will lose their land and ownership of such land will be transferred to the herdsmen, the land to be allocated for grazing will be managed by a Grazing Reserves Commission to be established by the bill and the commission is to have representatives in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja.

He said membership is to be drawn from the Land Use Allocation Committee of each state and that of the FCT.

His words: “When we have a national problem on our hands like we are having it with the incessant clashes between herdsmen and farmers and communities, lives lost on a daily basis, what is expected of people in position of leadership? Do we fold our arms and say to your tents oh Israel? The functions and responsibilities of the representatives of the people in the Parliament include making good laws for peace, order, good governance and unity of our diverse citizenry.

“What we are doing is finding a solution to a problem that has defied all solutions essentially for several years. So, in the first place, we have a problem that got everybody thinking. The bill should be considered a solution being proffered. Those against the bill, criticising the effort, do not even bother to know the content. There are no perfect laws, but this bill, when patiently studied, is a good law. Unfortunately, anytime we have a situation like this in this country, we tend to succumb to sectional, tribal and religious sentiments.”

credits: TheNation