…Distributes 10,000 Seedlings For Planting
By Inusa Ndahi, Maiduguri
The Caretaker Chairman of Hawul Local Government Areas of Borno State, Hon. Inuwa Bwala, has ordered a crackdown on people who engages in indiscriminate felling of tree for purposes of making charcoals.
Speaking on a phone-in-programme on Harmony FM, Biu, monitored by our correspondent yesterday, the Chairman said that it is an offence to cut down fresh tree and burn same to make charcoals.
He averred that Hawul environment is already endangered, occasioned by destructions by wind and rainstorms, which he attributed to lack of tree covers.
Lamenting that allowing such activities of deforestration to continue would not only lead to the destruction of the ecosystems and the extinction of wildlife, but also causes serious negative change or disturbance to the environment hitherto now perceived to be deleterious or undesirable.
He recalled the recent rain and windstorm disasters that occured a couple of months ago in Hawul, where hundreds of houses were pulled down, adding that it was an avoidable disaster with adequate trees.
Insisting that the order for the arrest of all those involved in cutting down trees for purposes of making charcoal is in place, Bwala said that he has released 10,000 seedlings of assorted economic and non-economic trees for planting across the 12 wards in the local government area to mitigate the short and long term challenges associated with deforestation.
The Chairman promised to procure more seedlings before the end of the rainy season, so as to ensure that every adult in Hawul plants a tree and nutures the tree to maturity.
Bwala explained that he has been disturbed with the trend, where people deplete the natural environment for money making ventures.
He said, “Following the indiscriminate cutting down of trees by some people to make charcoals for sale, I recently launched a planting campaign programme in Hawul, which was intended to boost the natural environment and to campaign against indiscriminate felling of tree and burning for charcoal.
“I have vowed to deal with anybody found to be engaging in the unwholesome activity of burning trees to make charcoal for sale to the public.”
Seeking for the collaboration of security agencies, the Hawul councl boss disclosed that he has formed a committee that will enforce the appropriate laws which forbid felling of trees and burning of charcoal.
He added, “Anybody who plans to develop an area where there are trees needs to obtain a permit and must also be prepared to plant two or three trees as replacement.”
Bwala therefore called for community sensitisation on the dangers of tree felling and the importance of tree planting in the society.
