Ondo State Government to combat encroachment of forest reserves

The Ondo State Government, South-west Nigeria, has reaffirmed its commitment to recover the State’s forests from encroachers, as part of efforts to encourage timber and wood business in the State.

The State Commissioner for Agriculture and Forestry, Mr. Olatayo Aribo, disclosed this during the inauguration of the new executive of Processed Wood Producers and Marketers Association of Nigeria (PROWPMAN), Ondo State chapter.

Speaking, Aribo said the development would create a sustainable environment for timber businesses to thrive in the State, stressing that the government was doing all it can to recover the forests from encroachers.

“We are fully ready to support you; if it is to give you lands, we are ready.

“We will soon embark on tree-planting and replanting and we are ready to take over our lands that have been taken over by encroachers,” said the Commissioner, who was represented by Mr David Dada, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry.

Aribo also expressed the State government’s readiness to partner with PROWPMAN in the area of afforestation across all the 18 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Ondo State.

On his part, the National President of PROWPMAN, Ademola Oyaleke, said the association would play a key role in the economic development of the State and Nigeria by creating more employment for teeming youths.

“Sustainability is our key goal and we are demonstrating that across the six geographical zones in Nigeria through our tree-planting projects, climate-smart initiatives project, capacity-building training and collaboration with government, non-governmental organizations and other trade unions across the board.

“Our footstep in the re-establishment of degraded forest reserves across the nation through our forest restoration projects in Ogun, Ekiti, Adamawa, Taraba, Kogi, and Oyo States is evidently our strength.

“Let me assure you that with time the same feat will be replicated in Ondo State,”  said the PROWPMAN National President.

Furthermore, Oyaleke urged members of the association to uphold sustainable forest management tenets, while calling on the government at all levels to tackle the issue of encroachment of forest reserves.

Also, the newly elected Ondo State’s PROWPMAN Chairman, Mr Oluwafemi Ajayi, said the association would acquire 2,000 hectares of forest reserves land to plant different species of trees both exotic and indigenous.

“We will work in accordance with the Ondo State government to generate more revenues and boost the IGR of the State.

“We will bring in more international investors to take woodwork in Ondo State out of local levels to international levels.

“We will also create more employment opportunities for the Ondo State youths and we will work hard to make Ondo State PROWPMAN the very best in Nigeria,” Ajayi added.

Source: Agro Nigeria