Ogun State government has declared its readiness to establish more forest plantations especially in Communities that are hitherto without government-owned reserves. Commissioner for Forestry, Engr. Ayo Olubori dropped the hint at Owode-Egba in Obafemi/Owode Local Government Area of the State while addressing stakeholders in the forestry sub-sector.
He called on communities and relevant stakeholders to inform government if there are fallow lands in their areas which could be designated as forest reserves. ”I want to assure you that government would with an open mind receive any landed property given to it by any community, town, individuals and groups to further complement the existing ones”, Olubori said.
This declaration came against the backdrop of consistent yearnings of people living in areas with no government forest reserves calling for the establishment of one in their area.The Commissioner said though the Senator Ibikunle Amosun led- Administration was committed to rejuvenating the existing ones through aggressive afforestation and 24hrs surveillance of the state forests, it would be willing to establish more to boost the Forestry sub-sector.
In the same vein, the commissioner who also visited Ijebu-Ode declared that government would not rescind its decision to stop flitches across the State irrespective of the land terrain but assured that government would look out for ways to ensure operations are done legitimately in the riverine areas. “The presence of economic trees in the riverine areas of the State was not enough to accept flitches, rather government would look for ways to facilitate timber exploitation in such areas because if we approve it on that premise, some evil-minded people can capitalize on this to encroach on our territories to smuggle our timber resources across the border towns”, he submitted.
Via: Ogun State Government - Official Press Release