The Nigerian Senate has passed a bill to establish the National Animal Husbandry and Ranches Commission after a heated debate on Wednesday. The bill, sponsored by Senator Titus Tartenger Zam representing Benue North West, is aimed at controlling and regulating cattle rearing and ranching business across the country.
According to Senator Zam, the proposed Commission will manage, regulate, and preserve ranches across the country. However, the bill faced opposition from Senators Danjuma Goje from Gombe and Adamu Aliero from Kebbi, who argued that cattle rearing and ranching activities are more prevalent in the North and that lawmaking should be for the entire country, not just a section.
Despite the opposition, the bill was passed after a voice vote and has been referred to the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Judiciary, and Legal Matters for further review and will be reverted in four weeks.
Proponents of the bill argue that the proposed Commission will help manage the ongoing farmers/herders crisis, while others call for caution due to the controversial nature of the bill. The passage of this bill marks a significant step towards regulating the cattle rearing and ranching industry in Nigeria.
