Gov. Peter Mbah of Enugu state, on Wednesday, signed the Public Ranch Management Agency bill into law to end herders and farmers clashes in the state.

The governor also assented the Enugu State Environmental and Climate Protection, Enugu State Sports Development Fund and the Enugu State Properties Protection bills into law.

Signing the bills before the Speaker, Enugu State House of Assembly, Uche Ugwu, the governor said the laws were essentially designed to benefit the people of the state.

He thanked the lawmakers for the support they had continued to give to his government and expressed gratitude for the expeditious manner in which they treated executive bills.

“We did not take your support for granted. We recognised the importance of having a legal framework to accomplish the goals we set for ourselves.

“We know we must put in place robust policies that should be guided by a legal framework,” he said.

Explaining the Public Ranch Management Agency Law, Mr Mbah acknowledged that the bill had generated a lot of controversy and was misunderstood and misinterpreted by some people.

According to him, the government was accused of introducing something beyond ranching.

“We have to put an end to the idea of having cattle graze openly and creating friction between our farmers and the herders. Our objective is to ensure it ends.

“In the 24th century, there is no reason why we should encourage open grazing of cattle. The bill will help people act in a civilized manner.

“Having cattle enclosed in a location where we provide other services ensures there is enough pasture, creates abattoir and a proper cattle market,” he said.

On the Property Protection Law, the governor said the law was in line with his government promise to people to create the ease of doing business in the state.

He said that the growth projection they made to grow Enugu’s economy from $4.4 billion to $30 billion would only happen through private sector investment, which we would ensure possessed genuine title documents.

“We frown against land grabbers who go out there to grab land even when they do not have any title document.

“The law is designed to penalise such acts and a warning to people that go to empty land because it has not been developed to grab it. There are severe and strict punishments for them under this law,” he stated.

Speaking on Environmental and Climate Protection Law, Mr Mbah noted that from one set, his government set out clear policies and plans to protect the environment as the ozone layer poses danger to humanity.

“Youth Development Fund Law will assist the state in rebuilding capacity, nurturing talents from the grassroots, and encouraging school sports.

“It will develop our sports sector as we view sports not just for recreation but a veritable sector that can create business and employment,” Mr Mbah said.

Earlier, the Speaker, Uche Ugwu, thanked Mr Mbah for making the signing of the bills into law possible.

According to him, since the proclamation of the 8th Assembly, the executive has sent critical bills to the House of Assembly and these bills do not make much meaning unless Mr Mbah gives his assent.

“These bills will change the landscape and economy and everything that pertained to the standard of living of the citizens and residents of Enugu State,” he said.

(NAN)