Re: The Grazing Reserve Bill in Imo House of Assembly

In two separate editions published on June 19th and June 26th 2016, a widely read newspaper, The Leader, published an article titled ‘The Grazing Reserve Bill in Imo State House of Assembly’.

The said article credited to Onwuasonya FCC Jones may have stirred the hornet’s nest due to the wrong interpretation given to the bill by the newspaper, but the truth has to be told so as to correct a wrong impression.

For instance, the newspaper erroneously claimed that the bill “is targeted at forcefully taking away majority of the lands owned by our people and giving them to some of the cronies of the governor” and “to Islamize Imo State by bringing in the Fulani and Hausa herdsmen who will have equal rights and access and even more opportunities, as they will be in possession of most if not all the productive lands in the State”

For the avoidance of doubts, the said ‘Grazing Reserve Bill’ is no other than the ‘Bill for a law to Establish Agricultural Estates and Farm Settlements in Imo State’, sponsored by Hon. Amb. Uju Onwudiwe (House Member Representing Njaba State Constituency, Imo House Of Assembly, Owerri).

The said bill which has passed second reading in the Imo State House of Assembly is intended to engender mechanized agriculture, champion reorientation of the people to transform from subsistence to commercial farming in order to create jobs, enhance food security, reduce unemployment, ensure healthy population, and earn foreign exchange.

The bill provides for the establishment of farm settlement and Agricultural Estates in the 3 geopolitical zones of the state in order to leverage on specific areas of comparative advantage, in terms of crops, animals and fishery production. The eventual decision of which option that shall be taken shall be informed by feasibility study, directed by the Agency that will be established in conjunction with the governing board. The governing board is to be made up of technocrats who are requisite stakeholders in agricultural resources. This includes: Agricultural Development Program (ADP), Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Lands and Survey, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Environment, Renowned Farmers each from the respective zones, Traditional Rulers, Imo State Coordinator for Community Service Development Program (CSDP) – a part of world Bank Assisted Projects, etc.