Human Rights Activist, Saviour Akpan, on Monday, berated the Akwa Ibom State Government for lack of political will to implement the Anti-open Grazing Law of Akwa Ibom State, 2021, regretting that the law has failed in its essence to cure defects for which it was made to address. Akpan, who is the Executive Director of COMPPART Foundation for Justice and Peace building, a human rights organisation, bared his mind on the subject while speaking in an interview with Naija to the World in his office in Abak Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. Recalled that the Anti-open Grazing Law of Akwa Ibom State, 2021, was assented to, in September 2021, by the immediate past Governor of the state, Mr. Udom Emmanuel. By that act of assent, the state became the number eight Southern state to enact the legislation against open grazing of cattle and other livestock in Nigeria. The law provides for the prohibition of open rearing and grazing of livestock, provision for establishment of ranches and livestock administration, regulation and control, reduction of clashes between herders and farmers, promotion of modern techniques of animal husbandry, among others.The governor, after assenting to the law, had reiterated that defaulters of the law would risk a -five year jail term with or an option of one million naira.Contrary to the pronouncements of the former Governor Udom Emmanuel and the penalties spelt out for defaulters of the law, there are many reported cases from communities in the state where herders were allegedly seen to have clearly violated the provisions of the law.Sometime ago, the village head of Uruk Uso in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area, Eteidung Akpan Udo Udung, told this reporter that herders had consistently grazed in open places around his community, destroying farmers’ crops and plants.According to him, he had, on many occasions cautioned the herders not to graze in open spaces and in unauthorized areas, but the warnings, he lamented, appeared futile. Speaking against the backdrop of this development, Akpan said there was a huge necessity in the state which prompted the sponsoring of the Anti-open Grazing Bill and its eventual assent into law by the former Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, but expressed sadness that the law had only been kept on the government shelves to gather dusts three years after it was birthed. The Human Rights Activist also expressed displeasure over the failure of the government to make the law accessible to all the traditional rulers in Akwa Ibom whom he described as critical stakeholders, as well as sensitize them on its spirits and letters, and opined that Akwa Ibom State Government had a zero sense of law implementations.In his words, “ There was a very serious necessity, as far as the Anti-open Grazing Law of Akwa Ibom State is concerned. But the challenge we have with regards to the law is implementation. One thing about the government which I’m always very critical about is making laws and implementing them. “ The Anti- open Grazing Law of Akwa Ibom State is not supposed to be a kind of a law where the government keeps on its shelves, except government has forgotten that its primary responsibility as provided for, in 1999 Constitution (As Amended), is security and welfare of the citizens. “ By now, every traditional ruler is supposed to be aware of the spirits and letters of the law at his finger tips, because when there are clashes, it the traditional ruler and his that face the problem. So, village heads should be sensitized and copies of the law made available to them”.The COMPPART Director Executive, who said it was embarrassing to see cattle graze in the city centre, recounted an experience where he saw cattle grazing in the premises of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly sometime ago, describing this as shameful, as it could be interpreted that the House only passed the bill which eventually became a law for mere administrative convenience and a show of working.“ It is very embarrassing when you go round the state sometimes and you see stray animals moving here and there. The other day, I was driving along Udo Udoma Avenue where you have the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, I saw animals around the premises of the Assembly and this is an eyesore that the lawmakers who made the law are sitting, watching these animals roam in their premises”. Akpan also called on Judicial Sevice Commission of Akwa Ibom State to conduct training and retraining on the spirits and letters of the law for all magistrates and judges in the state, saying this would acquaint them on the kind of judgement to be delivered when the law would be tested in court.