Taraba Government Intensifies Crackdown on Tree Burning Amid Rising Charcoal Price

The Taraba State Task Force on Environmental Protection, Public Safety, and Prohibition of Land Degradation has linked its crackdown on tree burning for charcoal production to the need to prevent desert encroachment and environmental degradation.

This effort has triggered concerns among residents over the rising cost of charcoal, with many families lamenting the additional hardship in light of the high prices of cooking gas and fuel.

Addressing the public outcry, the chairman of the task force, Gen. Jeremiah Faransa, acknowledged the economic challenges but stressed that the government’s primary goal is to stop the illegal logging and burning of economic trees.

Faransa revealed that a cartel is behind the illegal trade, contributing to significant losses for the state.

“Charcoal has become an export product, and the activities of these loggers must be checked,” he said.

He further explained that the government is committed to sustainable forestry practices. “Moving forward, anyone cutting trees must also plant replacements,” Faransa noted, adding that the current practice benefits only the cartel exporting charcoal outside the state.

“The charcoal sold for N4,500 in Jalingo is resold for N12,000 in Abuja.

The cartel is the one profiting from this exploitation,” he stated.

Faransa assured residents that the state government is exploring alternative measures to ease the hardship, emphasizing that the focus is not on banning firewood for domestic use but on curbing the indiscriminate destruction of economic trees.