From Geoffrey Anyanwu, Awka
Speaker of the Sixth Anambra House of Assembly, Rita Maduagwu has said that the chamber, under her watch, will not support the controversial grazing bill. She said Nigeria can do without it.
Speaking while addressing newsmen on the first year anniversary of the assembly and her one year in office, Maduagwu said the House had received positions from segments of the state, including the League of Anambra Professionals on the matter with all rejecting the bill.
The assembly was inaugurated on June 12, 2015, following a proclamation by Governor Willie Obiano.
The speaker also disclosed that, “as lawmakers, I think we have our various opinions but, for me, I don’t think the grazing bill is one of the bills I will jump at because, honestly we can do without the grazing bill. It shouldn’t be priority in Nigeria. There are so many people in Nigeria who have cattle ranches, so, if you can do cattle ranching, why grazing bill? Outside here, they kill cows, they eat cow meat without grazing bill, so, why grazing bill? I won’t be a party to it. I don’t think I will jump at it, but, if the state so wishes, I don’t have any problem, but, personally, I don’t think it is a bill I will jump at because of all the controversies following it.
She further said, “In the comity of State Legislature in Nigeria, the present House of Assembly is playing pivotal role as I was elected the South-East Chairman of Conference of Speakers of the Houses of Assembly in Nigeria. The position has indeed placed both the State Legislature and State Government on a higher pedestal and has also accorded the government and people of the state maximum recognition among their counterparts in the country.”
She commended what she called uncommon cordial relationship existing between the House and the other arms of the government, just as she expressed the happiness of the House over the implementation of all the bills by Governor Obiano.