The Bayelsa State Government has ordered its Ministry of Environment to take necessary measures to identify and arrest individuals or groups indulging in the unwholesome practice of indiscriminate bush burning in the state.
It also directed its Taskforce on Livestock Management to take proactive steps to checkmate the activities of cattle rearers to prevent the destruction of crops and farms across communities in all the local government areas of the state.
The Acting Governor, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, gave the directives while presiding over the 146th Session of the State Executive Council, in Government House, Yenagoa, on Wednesday.
In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr Doubara Atasi, the Acting Governor, emphasized the dangers of bush burning to the environment, ecosystem and human health, and warned those perpetrating the act to stop forthwith or face the wrath of the law.
To this end, he directed the Ministry of Environment to activate the task force, with a view to apprehending those found culpable and to ensure they are brought to justice.
On the issue of cattle rearers encroaching on farmlands and destroying crops, Ewhrudjakpo noted that the law on anti-grazing was still in force and should be implemented in all ramifications.
He, therefore, directed the task force on livestock management in the state to operationalize all machinery to ensure that herders carry out their trade within the remits of the law to avoid unnecessary destruction of lives and property, including crops.
“We want to use this opportunity to alert the public about the danger of bush burning. The hazards are quite known by everybody.
“Nobody should for the sake of their farms which they want to keep clean and cultivate, jeopardize the health of other citizens. And so, the Ministry of Environment is hereby directed to activate the task force on anti-burning.
“The ministry must make sure that all those who are involved in bush burning are discouraged, and where they fail to comply, they should either be brought to justice or justice taken to them.
“In a similar vein, we are aware of the influx of herders into our state. The state task force on livestock management is hereby also directed to activate all machinery to ensure that herders don’t come into our state to destroy our farmlands.
“The law on anti-grazing remains in force and should be enforced in all ramifications. So, livestock management committee, both at the state and local government areas, should be activated and make sure that they curtail and contain every unnecessary grazing that is not permitted in our state.”
Ewhrudjakpo equally used the opportunity to congratulate the victorious Bayelsa State contingent on the just-concluded NAFEST 2024 for emerging champions out of 27 states that participated in the event in Abuja.
He also commended the players, coaches and other officials of Bayelsa United FC for their improved performance in recent matches and called on the team to maintain their present form and winning streak to clinch a continental spot at the end of the current league season.
The Acting Governor equally expressed gratitude to Bayelsans for their abiding support to the Senator Douye Diri-led Administration and urged them to cooperate with the various security agencies to keep the state safe throughout the yuletide season and beyond.
In their separate remarks, the Commissioner for Culture, Mr. Godspower Keku and his Community Development counterpart, Hon. Watson Belemote thanked the Governor for the opportunity given to them to serve the state and presented awards they had recently received elsewhere on his behalf.
Mr Keku, lauded the Bayelsa contingent to the 36th edition of the National Arts and Culture Festival (NAFEST) for their superlative performance that made the state proud by winning laurels in 13 events, including five gold medals to emerge the overall champions at the cultural event in Abuja.
