The Rivers State House of Assembly has gotten correspondence from Governor Nyesom Wike to sanction a law restricting open grazing and raising of animals in the state.

Speaker of the House of Assembly, Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani, at entire on Monday read the letter on the leader charge, which was addressed to him by the lead representative.

The bill is titled, ‘Enactment of Rivers State Public Prohibition of Open Rearing and Grazing of Livestock and Ranching Administration Bill 2021.’

Wike, in the letter, said the bill followed a unanimous decision taken by the Southern Governors’ Forum recently to ban open grazing in the South.

He said southern governors had realised the need for various states’ Houses of Assembly to enact relevant laws to back up the prohibition on or before September 1, 2021.

He stated, “Pursuant to this provision, a number of southern states have already passed the necessary framework laws against open rearing and grazing of livestock in their states.

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“Against this backdrop, it is my pleasure to forward the Rivers State Public Prohibition of Open Rearing and Grazing of Livestock and Ranching Administration Bill 2021 for consideration and enactment into law by the Rivers State House of Assembly.

“The bill seeks to outlaw the open rearing and grazing of livestock, including cattle, throughout Rivers State and provide for the establishment an effective administration of ranching in the state and local government areas.”