Ogun State - Forestry Ministry Moves To Address Deforestation

[OgunState]

 As part of measures to prevent deforestation of forest reserves owned by Ogun State government and encourage tree planting among private citizens, the Ministry of Forestry has raised and distributed 450,000 seedlings of Gimeliua Arborea tree to be planted in the reserves and in private plantations across the State.     Commissioner of Forestry, Engr. Ayo Olubori who dropped this hint while addressing members of the Ogun State House of Assembly Committee on Agriculture and Forestry during their budget appraisal visit to his Ministry, indicated that 300,000 out of the seedlings were given to private individuals.     According to him, the Ministry had been unrelenting in the drive to regularize activities in the forest reserves as it had embarked on the biometric data capturing of properly hammer holders and licensed timber contractors in the state to prevent illegal timber felling in the reserves.     Engr Olubori added that the Ministry had also computerized operations and activities of the forest reserves to forestall unwarranted exploitation and ensure transparency.     On revenue generation, the Commissioner informed the lawmakers that between January and June this year, the Ministry generated N116.6m representing 31.1% of its N375m half year revenue target. He enumerated challenges militating against revenue generation to include inadequate and untimely release of fund, inadequate logistics and equipment.     Responding, the House Committee Chairman, Hon. Harrisson Adeyemi lauded the Ministry for its relentless effort and measures taken to curb illegality in the forestry reserves as well as the revenue generated notwithstanding challenges.     He encouraged the Ministry not to rest on its oars, but do more to stop illegal tree felling and improve revenue generation drive, submitting that doing these would make the State an enviable model in forestry operations     The Committee also visited the Ogun State Agricultural and Multipurpose Credit Agency (OSAMCA), where its acting General Manager, Mr. Samuel Adeogun disclosed that it had collected a sum of N60 million as loan repayment from beneficiaries, a development which enabled the agency liquidate N300 million loan facility obtained from the Bank of Agriculture in 2008/2009.