Bayelsa anti-grazing law: Govt. reads riots act to cattle

Herdsmen have been warned  to abide by the existing anti-grazing law in Bayelsa State  or risk being arrested and prosecuted.

State Deputy Governor,  Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, gave the warning at a meeting with the Chairman and members of the State Traditional Rulers Council in Government House, Yenagoa, on Thursday.

Ewhrudjakpo said government had provided the enabling environment including designated grazing site at the Bayelsa and therefore would not tolerate any criminal act on the part of herdsmen.

Responding to the concerns raised by the council on the influx of herdsmen into the state, the state number two citizen said government was aware and had put in place all necessary machinery to enforce the state anti-grazing law.

Ewhrudjakpo maintained that government was taking  proactive measures to avoid any situation that is capable of causing violence and bloody clashes, as witnessed elsewhere in the country.

On the proposed conference for traditional rulers in the state, the deputy governor said that a formal proposal for the conference had already been sent to Senator Douye Diri, which would be approved as soon as the governor returned from his oversea trip.

He also assured the royal fathers of government's readiness to convene a meeting involving the Ijaw National Congress, Ijaw Youth Council and other stakeholders to address the alleged collection of illegal fees from contractors and companies by IYC officials.

Commenting on a suggestion made by the Okpo of Okpoma, King Ebitimi Banigo, the deputy governor said government would scale up its security efforts at the state international border communities to secure lives and property as well as properly harness its marine resources.

On the rampant issue of groups unilaterally declaring themselves as autonomous communities, he  warned the groups and individuals to desist from such actions that challenge the authority and powers  of the Governor.

In the area of welfare and other requests by the royal fathers, Ewhrudjakpo said government appreciates their continued support and would therefore do everything within its reach to tackle their needs within the limits of available resources.

Earlier,  Chairman of the State Traditional Rulers Council, King Alfred Diete-Spiff, explained that the unscheduled meeting with the Deputy Governor had been necessitated by a lot of issues bordering on security.

King Diete-Spiff said the traditional rulers were concerned about the rising wave of sea piracy, the unprecedented influx of Fulani herdsmen into the state, and dusturbing reports about harassment of contractors at project sites.

The council also expressed concern over the issue of some traditional rulers parading themselves as kings, and pleaded with government to make a policy pronouncement on the issue.

Also, King Banigo pointed out that Bayelsa has the longest coastline in the country   noting, however that the state had not tapped the huge wealth lying on its coastline.

He therefore appealed to government to evolve a policy that would enable the state harness its untapped natural resources of the coastline to generate more revenue for the state.

No fewer than 17 members of the  State Traditional Rulers Council, including its Vice Chairman, King Malla Sasime, were present at the meeting.