News Editor
By David Odama
The Cross River State House of Assembly has urged the Ministry of Environment and relevant animal control agencies to address the issue of unrestrained domestic animals within the Calabar metropolis.
The House in a statement by the Chief Preserve Secretary to the Speaker, Matthew Okache emphasized the need for owners to take responsibility for restraining their animals to prevent them from roaming the streets.
The resolution of the house followed a motion presented by Hon. Ovat Agbor, member representing Obubra 1 State Constituency. called for the sanitization of the city, lamenting that stray animals such as goats, sheep, and cattle pose a nuisance by littering streets, destroying gardens, and defacing greenery intended to beautify the State.
Agbor also highlighted the dangers posed by stray animals, citing a recent incident where a stray dog attacked a schoolboy, inflicting severe injuries. He stressed that it is the owners’ responsibility to care for and confine their animals.
Rt. Hon. Hillary Bisong, representing Boki 2 State Constituency, supported the motion, describing the trend as detrimental to the State’s tourism potential. Other lawmakers echoed similar concerns and urged swift action to control the situation.
In his remarks, the Speaker of the Assembly, Rt. Hon. Elvert Ayambem, described the motion as timely and reaffirmed the House’s commitment to maintaining Calabar’s status as Nigeria’s cleanest city.
