Grazing Bill withdrawn by Nig senate

The Senate has withdrawn a bill seeking to establish a Grazing Management Agency which would ensure the creation of grazing areas across the country.
The bill which was sponsored by Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso was withdrawn along with two other similar bills sponsored by Senators Barnabas Gemade and Chukwuka Utazi.

While Senator Gemade’s bill seeks to establish a National Ranches Commission for Regulation, Preservation and Control of Ranches, Senator Utazi’s bill is seeking to control keeping and movement of cattle in Nigeria.

However, the bills were withdrawn as lawmakers noted that they all had different objectives and could not be merged.

Also, the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, pointed out that the Senate lacks the power to legislate on livestock and grazing matters which the bills are intended to address

“The issues at stake here are neither in the exclusive list nor in the concurrent list. I believe therefore that it is a residual matter. It is for states to decide how to deal with it.

“I believe the matter here concerns everybody, given the level of carnage and the conflicts going on in different states. So, I feel the concern of my colleagues but unfortunately we do not have powers to legislate on matters relating to livestock in this Assembly. It is a matter reserved for the states.

“So, I believe that the bills for Senators Kwankwaso, Gemade and Utazi are beyond the reach of this National Assembly and should be accordingly withdrawn so that the states under the constitution should be able to deal with the matters which the constitution has prescribed for them.

“I will like to see somebody to show me anywhere in the exclusive list or concurrent list that has given us powers to legislate on this matter because they are not in existence,” he said.