Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association has warned that the price of a cow could skyrocket to N2 million in Lagos State if the government goes ahead with the anti-grazing bill.
Meikudi Usman, the Zonal Secretary of Myetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, MACBAN, in the South West, stated this during a one-day public hearing organised by the Lagos State House of Assembly.
Recall that the anti-grazing bill was on Monday sent to the committee on agriculture after it scaled second reading at the House of Assembly.
Usman, during the public hearing, called on the Lagos State government to assist the cow breeders, pointing out that it is much more cheaper to rear cows openly than keeping them at one location – ranching.
The zonal Secretary agreed that there were some criminals among the herders, but argued that ranching could increase the price of a cow to as much as N2 million.
He also pleaded with the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration to subsidise the cost of raising the cattle in one location.
“If cattle are bred in one place, the price could go up to about N2 million each.
“We agreed with some local chiefs in other states that anyone who wants to rear cows in a location should register and should indicate when he is leaving,” he said.
“We have met with stakeholders in Ekiti, Ondo and even Oyo states and we reached agreements with them,” Usman was quoted as saying this in a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker of the House, Mr Eromosele Ebhomele.
Earlier, the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore had urged the National Assembly to stop the enactment of the open-grazing laws by the Southern governors.
Saleh Alhassan, the National Secretary of the Fulani socio-cultural organisation, said the National Assembly should stop the governors from enacting the law because it targets Fulani pastoralists.
Alhassan made the call at a National Peace Summit and Investiture of Queen Mother Amina Temitope Ajayi as the Miyetti Allah Brand Ambassador, in Nasarawa State.
He said the law would undermine the relative peace and stability currently enjoyed in the local communities, threaten the social order and exacerbated cattle rustling.
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