Ogun deploys Amotekun to combat illegal mining, logging
The Ogun State Commissioner for Forestry, Taiwo Oludotun on Friday said that government has deployed Amotekun operatives into its forest reserves to curb illegal mining, tree felling and other criminal acts threatening forest sustainability.
Oludotun said that the present administration in the state has also embarked on aggressive tree planting and has planted over five million trees in the last five years.
The commissioner disclosed this in Abeokuta while speaking to journalists on the occasion of this year International Day of Forests with theme “Forests and Food”.
Oludotun explained that the importance of tree planting to human life could not be overemphasised because it helps in purifying the air, control erosion, provides shelter and lots of resources for human survival and economic purposes.
He explained, “We are very deliberate about tree planting in Ogun State. We have about nine forest reserves in the state but most of them were moribund when we came in about five years ago.
“We have however embarked on aggressive tree planting, we have equally also scaled up the sustainability drive and the protection of these forests from all forms of illegal activities.
“In the last five years, we have planted over five million trees. Part of what we have done to ensure the safety and protection of these forests is to clean them of illegal miners, loggers and even illegal settlers.
“It is what this government has prioritised and we are committed to do more. The latest challenge we are having is these illegal miners who are mostly from the Northern part of the country, we have arrested some of them and taken them to court.
“We have equally deployed Amotekun operatives to some of these forest reserves to combat the activities of these illegal miners and acts that are inimical to the health of our forests.”
Speaking on the theme of this year’s International Day of Forests, “Forests and Food”, Oludotun said that there is no belabouring the fact that the forest plays crucial roles in food production and so it must be sufficiently catered for by everyone and ensure that it was not destroyed.
The Commissioner said, “There are lot of economic activities which revolves around forests that culminates into putting food on our tables.
“A lot of people depend on forest resources to earn livelihoods. There are those who use pulp to produce papers, there are those who trade in these woods, we build our houses with woods, so the connection is there and that is why we must all do so much more to protect our forests.”
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Adekunle Oyesanwen added that the ministry with other development partners are planting at least two million tress across the state in the 2025.
Dr Oyesanwen called on the residents of the state to join forces with the state government to plant more trees and protect the eco system and strengthen action to combat effects of climate change such as the horrible heat, the flooding, draught among others.
Highlight of the celebration was the symbolic planting of trees at the Governor’s Office, Oke Mosan, Abeokuta by the Commissioner, Engr Oludotun, the Head of Service, Mr Kehinde Onasanya, Dr Rotimi Akinlesi, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs among others.
