Niger To Engage Forest Guards Against Illegal Logging

Niger State Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello
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Niger State Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello
Niger State Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello

From Saka Bolaji, Minna

Disturbed by the indiscriminate encroachment of forest reserves in the state by land speculators, Niger State governor, Abubakar Sani Bello, has approved the re-engagement of ‘Green Guards’ to protect the forest and its economic values.
The state’s Commissioner for Environment and Solid Mineral, Dr. Aliyu Mohammed Tangwagi disclosed this at the weekend in Minna.
He said the governor approved the re-engagement of the 520 former casual guards employed under the defunct Sure-P initiative in order to protect forest belt of the state from being illegally taken over.
Tangwagi said: “In the face of indiscriminate encroachment of our forest reserve and the illegal felling of trees without conscious efforts to replace fell trees, Mr. Governor has approved the return of the Green Guards. This is to bring sanity into our forest and protect our environment from deforestation.
“For a start, we are reviewing the status of the former 520 casual guards engaged by the past administration with a view to engaging them. Our forest is left porous. The reserve is being encroached upon and illegal feeling of trees is going on unabated, thereby causing deforestation and drain on the revenue that would have accrued to the state”.
Tangwagi said the state government was working towards improving and protecting forests in the state.
To this end, a bill to harmonise the regulating laws of forest reserves in the state is currently been looked into by the state House of Assembly. The bill according to the Commissioner has gotten to the third reading in the House.
“We are working towards getting the various forest related laws harmonised for effective control of the forest reserve along with the engagement of the forest guards”.
He also disclosed that a partnership has been reached with the Forest Research Institute in Ibadan, Oyo State on how to gain back economic trees that were lost to illegal felling and forest encroachment in the state.
The commissioner then warned that government will prosecute anyone found encroaching on forest reserves as well as those whose activities pose threat of deforestation.


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