Cross River State Governor, Ben Ayade has signed the Cross River State Livestock and Grazing Management bill as well as the Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption bill into law.
At the signing ceremony at the Conference Hall of the Governor’s Office, in Calabar, the governor described the new laws as masterpieces of legislation.
He commended the Speaker and members of the state House of Assembly for their foresight and dexterity in fashioning the laws.
Giving details of the law on open grazing, the governor said, “Contrary to what most states have done, we have made containment and control measures to define the beacons of range through which any form of ranching can be done.
“The law is very detailed and provides penalties for straying cattle as well as cattle rustling. Anybody who steals a cattle belonging to a herdsman, there is a penalty provided in the law. Any herdsman who allows his cattle to stray out of the ranch, there is a penalty. So with this law, we have protected the farmers and we have protected the herders too.”
He explained that the anti-corruption law offers the guarantee of transparency in the way and manner public offices are handled.
“It brings the watchdog closer to us and brings us to a point where we will have ultimate value for the resources of our state.
“it is the domestication of the criminal administration law of Nigeria which Cross River has domesticated and this law derives it’s strength from the concurrence of the criminal justice of Nigeria.
“Essentially, by the provisions of the new law, the Cross River State House of Assembly now has a superintending authority over the disbursement and distribution of resources of the state.”
Speaker of the House of Assembly, Eteng Jones Williams, expressed optimism that “the two important laws will shape the behavioural pattern of Cross Riverians.”
