Desertification: Gov Bala flags-off 2023 tree planting campaign, warn against tree felling
By Samuel Luka
In his administration’s effort to curb desertification and other environmental challenges, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi state Thursday performed the flag-off ceremony of the 2023 tree planting campaign in the state.
Speaking during the event at Dungal village, along Bauchi to Jos road, Governor Mohammed warned against illegal charcoal business in state.
He said that the indiscriminate cutting down of trees for charcoal has resulted to problems of deforestation, erosion and flooding with devastating consequences on lives and properties.
According to the governor, the state government overwhelmed by activities of criminals who are bent on the illegal felling of trees despite efforts to stop them.
He added that the problem is aggravated by members of the traditional Institution in the villages who connive with the criminals to cause deforestation.
Bala Mohammed who reiterated his administration’s commitment to environmental protection, said government’s dedication to fight and survive as a people irrespective of the climate change is been frustrated by some people.
He said that the act of indiscriminate tree felling without replacement is causing drought, deforestation, flooding and hunger, among others.
The governor who said that a lot need to be done to work on ecosystem, added all the citizens are part of the system when the universe is devasted by human actions and inactions.
“Our trees are being felled, charcoal business has become the business of the day, we have been arresting them everyday, somehow, our labours have stopped, but we have willing collaborators in our leaders, political leaders like me and you and members of the traditional institution in the villages who give the right of way to do charcoal”, he stated.
The governor who regretted that even in towns people are allowed to be building in the flood drain, constituting dangers to themselves and others, said it has been identified that tree planting is the way to go for sustainable development.
“We need to come together to fight for our survival, we need to take back our environment, we need to assure our future generation that we want to live, that we want to survive”, the Governor stressed.
The governor further explained: “We have to go by a legislation, by persuasion and enforcement. We will not close our eyes and live anybody no matter how highly placed to devastate our environment. From today, we have declared war against charcoal business in Bauchi state”.
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The State Commissioner, ministry of housing and environment, Honourable Danlami Ahmed Kawule had earlier in his welcoming remarks, pointed out that planting trees will help in securing the future of generation to come.
Kawule who stressed the importance of trees to mitigating the negative impact of climate change, said that the 2023 planting exercise is a road side plantation covering a distance of 12.6km.
