Obasanjo tasks FG, states to fight poaching, felling of trees

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo says governments at all levels must fight illegal felling of trees and poaching in the country to protect the forests and its resources from extinction.

Obasanjo spoke on Tuesday in Ibadan at the 42nd annual conference of Forest Association of Nigeria which coincided with the 50th anniversary of the association.

The former President, represented by Deacon Sunday Agusa, said, “We must ensure that we do not, arising from our negligence, lose our endangered species. We must begin to harness, document, and advance the innumerable benefits of our forests in solving contemporary health issues.

“We must begin to look at and devise means of protecting our forests from those who are concerned about today without an iota of consideration for the resultant effects of their actions and inactions.”

Former Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission, Prof. Julius Okojie, in his keynote address, urged the Nigerian governments to arrest the spate of deforestation in the land in a bid to avert the danger of global warming and climate change.

Minister of Environment, Dr Muhammed Abubakar, who said the Federal Government was reviewing policy on governance and management of forests and its resources, warned against over-exploitation of forest and its resources in order to avert possible outbreak of pandemic.

The National President of Forest Association of Nigeria, Alhaji Ahmad Ibrahim, reiterated the association’s resolve to continue to engage stakeholders to encourage reforestation and curb degradation of forest and its resources.