The Ekiti State Government has said it would forward a bill seeking the repeal of the Prohibition of Cattle and other Ruminants Grazing in Ekiti State and to enact the Cattle and other Ruminants Grazing in Ekiti State to the State House of Assembly for passage into law.

The government stated that the enactment is part of a multi-pronged approach to effectively avert the conflict between herders and farmers in the state.

A statement from the Commissioner for Information and Value Orientation, Mr Taiwo Olatunbosun, on Thursday, said it was part of the decisions reached at the virtual state executive meeting.

According to him, the bill is titled: A bill to make a Law for the repeal of the Prohibition of Cattle and other Ruminants Grazing in Ekiti State Law No. 4 of 2016 and to enact the Cattle and other Ruminants Grazing in Ekiti State Law of 2025.

Olatunbosun stated that the new bill aims to involve traditional rulers and the chairmen of local government councils in resolving herder settlements for grazing within any community.

He further explained that the bill mandates informing the governor before settling any herdsmen in any part of the state.

Recall that the bill enacted in 2016 didn’t include provisions for the involvement of traditional rulers and the local government chairman in settling herders in the communities within the state.

Other highlights of the bill, according to the commissioner, include “making provision for procedures for compulsory certification and registration of herdsmen for settlement for grazing purposes in Ekiti State.”

“To expressly state the offences and penalties for contravening the extant Law on Prohibition of Unguarded Grazing of Cattle and other Ruminants in the state.”