Ogun moves against illegal 100 enclaves in forest reserves
Bankole Taiwo, Abeokuta
The Commissioner for Forestry in Ogun State, Engr. Tunji Akinosi has said that there is no going back in the government decision to send packing about 100 illegal enclaves from its forest reserves across the state.
Engr Akinosi said that the state government has so far lost about 9500 hectares of land to illegal encroachment of its forest leading to loss of revenue of about N23bn as the area encroached upon could have been home to over 10 million trees.
Speaking during the International Forest Day held at Obas Complex, Governor’s Office, Oke Mosan, Abeokuta on Wednesday, the Commissioner said that the activities of the residents of these illegal enclaves had been found to be tilted towards all manner of criminal acts, particularly, stealing forest resources of the state and transporting same to neighbouring States.
He said government can no longer fold its arm and some economic saboteurs to be having free reign in its forest reserves saying that time was up to sack the illegal enclaves.
Akinosi explained that “it is against this background that we have invited the Baales, that is the heads of 41 legal enclaves in our forest reserves to this programme. Some of them have also gone beyond where the government marked for them and we have told them that it is either they move back and be ready to plant trees on the size of land encroached upon or their right to the enclave be revoked.”
Commenting on the theme of the celebration ‘’Forestry Restoration: A path to recovery and wellbeing” the Commissioner said that the administration of Prince Dapo Abiodun remained committed to guarding its forest reserves jealously, planting of new trees and of course tackling headlong all criminal activities in and around its forest reserves.
Speaking during the programme, Chief Tunde Badmus, Baale of Araromi 2 lauded the government for its renewed fight against all manner of criminal behavior in its forest reserves saying that such patriotic moves are urgently needed to protect the forest reserves from further destruction.
