Ogun State Government says it will continue to clamp down on illegal forest dwellers as well as reckless deforestation across the nine forest reserves in the State, as part of measures being taken to guide against all kinds of environmental disaster and the biodiversity of the ecosystem
The Project Manager, Ogun State Forest Plantation Project, Mr Olukayode Shonibare said that the move would sanitise the forest and prevent it from total extinction.
Shonibare who was speaking with newsmen in his office at J4 in Ijebu East Local Government, said the present administration led by Prince Dapo Abiodun is highly committed at clamping down on illegal forest dwellers and other anti-forestry activities, particularly those involved in destroying the State economic trees
He noted that deforestation would affect global warming, if not put under check.
Warning every illegal occupants of the State forest reserves to steer clear of the areas.
Shonibare urged the State government to empower forest guards against the invasion and destruction of the State forest reserves.
He said invasion from neighbouring States like; Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo is so massive that even the forest guards employed by the State government could no longer control their activities.
" The invasion of Ogun forest is so much from Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo and they come in everyday to destroy plantation and other economic trees worth millions of naira that is beyond the control of the forest guards. I want to call on the state government to drastically intervene by recruiting more guards into the system, before all the State economic valued trees are illegally carted away". Shonibare said.
He said uncontrollable deforestation without replacement or replanting of trees could lead to imminent disaster such as heavy rain, wind and constant flooding, earthquake, landslide to mention but a few.
Furthermore, the resultant effect according to him could be loss of lives and properties.
" It is important to know that deforestation affect humans existence and if human existence should continue then, it is imperative that as deforestation is taking place there should be immediate replacement of trees to guide against natural disaster and that is why our agency is very key to make sure afforestation continues in all our forest reserve, and if not for anything, but for existence of humanity". Shonibare said.
The project manager who commended effort of the State Commissioner, Engr. Taiwo Oludotun effort at eradicating all forms of unwholesome activities in the forest areas, urged the media to do more sensitisation on the importance of tree planting.
He said his agency has identified the need to also alsogo into taugya system which allows for agroforestry system of planting some annual crops as well as tree planting, saying that food security is also very important as we plan for afforestation.
" We have identify that people must eat , reason why we are introducing the strategy to establish plantation as there must be food security. Trees doesn't grow in a day, it takes years and the population keeps growing on a daily basis.
while accommodate some farmers to grow annual crops which we call taugya system". He submitted.
Talking about most important trees with economic value, Shonibare said the project mandate is to plant exotic species like gmelina, teak, pines as well as indigenous trees like noklia, opepewe, terminalia aforensis amongst others. He noted that trees we plant at home are ornamental trees such as fruits, cashew, mango trees which are also categorised under economic trees.
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