Environmental Degradation: Borno Council Chair Orders Crackdown Of Those Cutting Down Tree To Make Charcoals
- Distributes 10000 seedlings for planting
By Inusa Salihu, Maiduguri
THE Caretaker Chairman of Hawul Local Government in Borno State, Hon. Inuwa Bwala has ordered a crackdown on people who engages in indiscriminate felling of tree for purposes of making Charcoals.
Speaking on a phone -in- programme on Harmony FM Biu, monitored by our Correspondent yesterday, the Chairman said it is an offence to cut down fresh tree and burn same to make Charcoals.
According to him Hawul environment is already endangered, leading to destructions by wind and rainstorms, which he attributed to lack of tree covers.
He lamented that, allowing such activities of deforestration to continue would not only destroy ecosystems and the extinction of wildlife, but causes serious negative change or disturbance to the environment hitherto now perceived to be deleterious or undesirable.
Recalling the recent rain and Windstorm disasters that occured a couple of months ago in Hawul where hundreds of houses were pulled down, the Chairman said it was an avoidable disaster with adequate trees.
While insisting that Orders for the arrest of all those involved in cutting down trees for purposes of making charcoal is in place, Bwala said, he has released 10,000 assorted economic and non- economic trees for planting across the 12 wards in the Local Government to mitigate short and long term challenges associated with deforestation.
The Chairman promised to procure more seedlings before the end of the rainy season, so as to ensure that every adult in Hawul plants a tree and natures the tree to maturity.
Bwala explained that he has been disturbed with the trend, where people deplete the natural environment for lonely making ventures.
“Following indiscriminate citting down of trees by some people to make charcoals for sale, i recently launched a planting campaign programme in Hawul which was intended to boost the natural environment and to campaign against indiscriminate felling of tree and burning of charcoal.
“I have vowed to deal with anybody found to be enggaging in the unwholesome activity of burning trees to make charcoal for sale to the public.” Bwala stated.
While seeking for the collaboration of security agencies, the Hawul Councl Boss disclosed that he has formed a committee that will enforce the appropriate laws, which forbid felling of trees and burning of charcoal.
“Anybody who plans to develop an area where there are trees needs to obtain a permit and must also be prepared to plant two or three trees as replacement,” the Chairman added.
Bwala called for community sensitisation on the dangers of tree felling and the importance of tree planting in the society.
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