Justin Tyopuusu, Jalingo
The Taraba State Madrid/Timber Buyers Association on Wednesday, January 29, said it has almost concluded plans to plant five millions trees to check the effect of climate change in the state.
Chairman of the association, Mr Josiah Magaji, who disclosed this at a press conference in Jalingo,adding that the seedlings ordered from Ghana, Burkina Faso, Kenya and Tanzania would arrive Taraba by February ending for planting.
Noting that the association had applied to the Taraba State government for approval of five hectares of land for the planting of the seedlings in the phase one of the project, Magaji said that the planned project became possible when trucks have started loading timber directly from the state.
He said that seven members, who violated the constitution of the association, were expelled and were now teaming up with the Processed Wood Marketers Association of Nigeria, PROWMAN, based in Lagos, to cause confusion in the state.
He said, “Some individuals, who have violated the constitution of the association have been expelled and they have decided to team up with PROWMAN, based in Lagos to introduce faction in our association in the state.
“The reason why PROWMAN teamed up with the expelled persons is because our association refused to allow it to continue to suppress and divert revenues and benefits meant for Taraba.
“In 2017, our association in collaboration with Tropical Wood Exporters Association of Nigeria, based in Lagos and the Federal Ministry of Environment and got the mandate to collect N100,000 per container of wood for afforestation campaign across the nation.
“Our association want to make it clear that we cannot be supplying 45 per cent to 55 per cent of the wood exported, while the tree planting campaign takes place in different states.”
He called on the public, especially the rural communities, to quickly report any unfamiliar faces to security agents, as some strangers are infiltrating the state in the name of wood buying.
