Federal Government Cannot Interfere In The Grazing Law – Ita Enang

Federal Government Cannot Interfere In The Grazing Law – Ita Enang

A welcome address by Sen. Ita Enang, Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters on the occasion of a one-day public forum organized by the Buhari Media Support Group in conjuction with coalition of other Buhari-Osinbajo Organizations.

Pleasure to welcome you to this interactive led by Buhari Media Group and the coalition of other APC Support Groups to brainstorm on issues which the public has need to know or have doubt about for those officers in the Federal Political Service to address and clear for public understanding of Buhari’s policies.

The most comtemporay of all is the Benue Security situation and now escalating to Nasarawa, Taraba, Plateau and peaking at Zamfara. Fortunately, H.E Mr President did address communication to the National Assembly detailing steps he has taken and the ones ongoing. The vote and proceedings of the Senate containing this letter is hereto annexed.

On this subject, there are angles that the Federal Government did not speak in time and again, that the Federal Government should have created Cattle routes and grazing reserve for herdsmen to feed their livestock.

And there is the resistance by crop farmers that they have a right to grow and harvest their crops for personal commercial livelihood.

There has been and are several Bills before the National Assembly but none has become law authorizing the President to grant land for grazing purposes or authorize or prevent movement of the cattle or animals. This power is vested in the states, and for grazing purposes, it is specifically vested in the Local Government, by the land Use Act.

Section 1says:

(1) As from the commencement of this Act –

(2) (a) all land in urban areas shall be under the control and management of the Governor of each state; and

(b) all other land shall, subject to the Act,be under the control and management of the Local Government within the area of jurisdiction of which the land is situated.

Section 6 (1) (a) and (b) says:

It shall be lawful for a local government in respect of land not in urban area to –

(a) Grant customary right of occupancy to any person or organisation for the use of land in the local government for agricultural, residential and other purposes

(b) Grant customary right of occupancy to any person or organisation for the use of land be customary in the local government area concerned.

Interpretation of grazing purposes:

‘Grazing purposes include only agricultural operations as are required for growing fodder for livestock on the grazing area. (Section 51, Land Use Act).

Therefore, the Federal Government cannot legitimately interfere in the grazing question except in the security angle because of the Constitution and the law.

There is also the question of the Re-structuring as proposed by Gov.El-Rufai-led APC Committee which recommends that mineral resources be controlled by the states where they are located except oil offshore.

Mischief makers have circulated fake and malicious blackmail that there is a subtle re-introduction of offshore on-shore dichotomy to the detriment of littoral states whose major share of derivation component is from off-shore oil credited to them.

I want to assure all that the proposal as couched has taken account of the limiting metre depth isobath recognized by the Abolishing Act and does not in any way infringe upon the derivation as there is no proposal to repeal the enabling Act.

You are welcome as we take your questions.

Senator Ita Enang

SSA to the President on National Assembly matters -senate