OGSG Loses N4b Annually To Forest Depletion—-Comm. Ogun State government says the sum of N4b is lost annually to exploitation and depletion of its nine forest reserves spread across the state. The commissioner for forestry, Engr. Ayo Olubori disclosed this during a stakeholders’ meeting at the instance of the government to decide the way forward on how best to nip the ugly trend in the bud. He said about N60billion has been lost to forest encroachment and over exploitations of timber in the last 15years without commensurate conservation. “Regrettably, I want to inform you that we have discovered that about 4billion naira is lost annually to bush burning and forest encroachments by illegal cocoa farmers, timber contractors, clearing of land areas for housing by intruders and all forms of illegal timber exploitation” He revealed that the amount would have accrued to the state within the period, if its 9 forest reserves had been well conserved adding that it was more alarming that in spite of the non-conservation, people have continued to encroach on the reserves carrying out timber exploitation without government’s authority. Olubori further explained that government decided to invite stakeholders who are major players in the sector to decide the way forward at revamping and regenerating the degraded forests. At the end of the meeting, a communiqué was issued where it was resolved that stakeholders within the reserved area would fund the regeneration exercise adding that for every economic tree destroyed, 20 fruiting cocoa trees would be cut down. The resolution added that stakeholders exploiting the reserves would be charged on the basis of their produce per trip from the reserve as regeneration fee. Also the funding strategy would be administered by government while the fund generated would be managed by a joint committee from the stakeholders and government.
Posted on: Wed, 07 Aug 2013 03:13:36 +0000
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