Benin city – A draft bill to institute a special forest commission,thereby removing forestry from the ministry of environment in a bid to address deforestation will be sent to the house of assembly by next week.
Also the government will institute a special green squad to embark on the planting of at least two hundred and fifty thousand trees in the state for the next four years.
Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo state made the disclosure yesterday as the state marked this years world Environment day, with the theme, ‘Connecting people to Nature’ .
Governor Obaseki who decried the high level of illegal felling of trees(lumbering) in the state said such human activities have led to high level of deforestation of the state’s rich forest reserves.
He explained that the separation of forestry from the ministry of environment is to ensure effectiveness in his administrations resolve to re-grow the state’s forest.
He also announced that an agency will be created to take special care of parks, gardens and cemeteries, with a task of ensuring that more trees are planted, while more parks and gardens will be created in cities across the state.
Governor Obaseki explained that as parts of measures to re-grow the state’s forest reserve, citizens of the state especially youths will be encouraged to plant and nurture trees in the state, saying his administration is planning to give incentives to people who have proofs of planting and nurturing trees in the state.
In a lecture, an expert in forest reserve management, Chief Giwa Rodipe said for the country to re-grow its forest reserves, a minimum of one billion trees must be planted every year for the next ten years.
He explained that this could be achieved if every local government contributes at least one million trees to the reserves annually, while states and the federal governments should do more in encouraging individuals to engage in tree planting.
In a goodwill message, the CEO of Ogba zoological center, Mr Andrew Ehanire raised the alarm over the massive encroachment on the zoological forest, which has affected activities of the park.
He revealed that the initial 53 square kilometres of the Zoo has been depleted to one square kilometre as a result of celebrate encroachment.
On his part, the Permanent secretary ministry of environment Mr Adesuwa Omoruyi called on the public to complement government’s efforts by reducing atmospheric pollution, which includes burning of waste and refuse and indiscriminate dumping of waste in drainages.
High point of the occassion was the planting of trees by the Governor,Mr Godwin Obaseki, His deputy, Comrade Philip Shaibu and other dignitaries at the event at the Ramat Park,Benin.
