ABIA ASSEMBLY GRAZING BILL: THE TRUTH.

I have been inundated with series of enquiries, calls and messages by well meaning Abians regarding the purported bill to establish grazing reserves across designated locations across the senatorial districts in Abia. While some of the enquiries were merely judgmental, others sought explanation on the real import of the bill.
2. There’s a bill sponsored by the former Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Barr Martins Azubuike which among other things seek to establish designated STOP OVER POINTS for cattles being transported to the State at NIGHT.
3. The primary objective is to mount surveillance for the influx of these cattles from diverse points in the senatorial districts
4. There’s no intention to designate any part of Abia State for grazing of cattles. However, a conscious head count and surveillance would serve the purpose of curtailing incessant marauding of these cattles while the revenue potentials would be maximized
5. These cattles would inadvertently continue their mechanical transpiration to ultimate market destinations from the NIGHT STOP OVER POINTS
6. This bill has successfully passed second reading and at the moment at the stage of PUBLIC HEARING
7. The public hearing slated for 16th of March was moved to 17th of March 2017 at the instance of the NIGERIA GRADUATE CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP. This group requested that the shift would enable various NGOs and interest groups to make representations on the desirability of the bill or not
8. The Abia State House of Assembly does well to eliminate the minutest trace of speculation in its activities, hence the robust engagement of all interest groups in the process of law making
9. The public reserves the right to evaluate the pros and cons of any bill, make inputs, support and or redirect the minds of their representatives
10. Members of the 6th Abia House of Assembly are aware of the disposition of Abians and residents towards certain issues of wider interest. They work round the clock not to risk a collision with the citizens’ overall interest
11. It is uncharitable, astonishingly unpatriotic for any person or group to make insinuations regarding a bill which content they have neither seen nor appraised.
12. While greater efforts have been made to give this HEARING the deserved publicity, I will implore us to also intimate others about the 17th March 2017 date
13. Let me thank all those who showed genuine concern through messages regarding this cause. I want to assure them that the 6th Abia House ably piloted by the inimitable Rt. Hon. Chikwendu Kalu is committed to undiluted public service.
Rt. Hon. Cosmos Ndukwe Ph.D
Deputy Speaker
Chairman
Media & Publicity Committee