Urhonigbe – Some communities in Orhionmwon local government area of Edo State have appealed to Governor Godwin Obaseki not to lease the Urhonigbe Forest Reserve to any private investor, as the area serves as their only source of livelihood through subsistence farming.
The more than 20 communities who were mainly from Orhionmwon south made their submission during a peaceful protest on Monday in Benin city.
They appealed to governor Obaseki to relocate any investors to other areas noting that their forest reserve was given to them by their forefathers to earn living.
According to the spokesman of the protesting communities, Chief G. O. Osadolor, “The Urhonigbe forest reserved as our only means of livelihood, where we do farming to sustain our family and children. Our children, mostly who are graduates and have no job, engage in farming in the forest reserve.
“Many youths from Orhionmwon local government area, who are not interested in criminal activities, engaged in farming in the forest reserve as there is no employment after graduating from school.”
Osadolor who addressed journalists at the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Edo State Council urged the governor to have a rethink, adding they have no other place to go for farming as their forefathers were magnanimous to have donated the land for them.
