The Cross River House of Assembly has asked the Ministry of Environment and relevant agencies intensify the enforcement of laws prohibiting stray animals in Calabar, the state capital.
They said that stray animals have taken over major roads, posing threats to motorists who were often forced to drive in fear to avoid auto crash on the road.
The lawmakers, in a motion presented by Ovat Agbor, representing Obubra 1 State Constituency, emphasized the need for owners to take responsibility for restraining their animals from roaming the streets across the state.
The motion, which was supported by several lawmakers, including Hillary Bisong, representing Boki 2 State Constituency, noted that the trend of stray animals roaming the streets is detrimental to the state’s tourism potential and poses a threat to public safety.
The Speaker of the Assembly, Elvert Ayambem, described the motion as timely and reaffirmed the House’s commitment to maintaining Calabar’s status as Nigeria’s cleanest city.
“The motion is timely and we must take action to maintain our status as the cleanest city in Nigeria,” Ayambem said.
“We will work with the relevant agencies to ensure that owners are held accountable for their animals’ actions and that our streets are safe for all citizens.
“We cannot continue to allow stray animals to roam our streets, causing harm to people and property. It is the responsibility of owners to ensure that their animals are properly restrained and do not pose a threat to public safety.
“The House is committed to supporting initiatives that promote public safety and cleanliness. We will work with the executive arm of government to ensure that the necessary laws and regulations are put in place to address this issue.
“Let me assure the people of Cross River State that we will do everything in our power to ensure that our streets are safe and clean. We will not tolerate any situation that poses a threat to public safety and cleanliness.”
The lawmakers urged the relevant authorities to take swift action to control the situation and ensure that owners are held accountable for their animals’ actions.
