By Emma Ogbuehi
Niger State governor, Abubakar Sani Bello has inaugurated a Seven-man Administrative Panel to investigate the allegations of bribery, illegal issuance of license and permits to wood merchants involved in felling of trees in the state.
The governor who inaugurated the committee at the Government House, Minna, charged the members to be passionate in the discharge of their assignment and not to compromise.
In a release by his Chief Press Secretary, Mary Noel-Berje, the governor explained that the committee members were carefully selected considering his passion to ensuring a green environment while urging them to be diligent in their investigations.
Bello lamented that most of the wood merchants were not indigenes of the state, as such they were taking advantage of the vulnerability and lack of knowledge of the local people to have access to the forest noting that the State Government has stopped the issuance of licence to any individual or group of persons to fell trees.
According to him, economic trees like Sheanut, which are said to produce the best charcoals, are mostly the target. The practice, the Governor said has adverse, negative effect on the environment such as desert encroachment which affects water bodies and farmlands. He suggested tree planting to replenish the forest
The terms of reference for the committee include; to investigate the allegations of bribery, issuance of illegal license and permits to wood merchants, charcoal producers and other forest exploiters.
The committee is also to make a thorough investigation into activities of illegal logging and felling of trees, illegal exploitation of forest resources in the state, and to ascertain all those involved and culpable in the illegal activities as well as recommend an appropriate sanction.
Others are; to find out the communities where these illegal activities are taking place, ascertain the extent of illegal logging and exploitation of forest resources in the state and the extent of economic loss to the state government.
The committee has Alhaji Adamu Shuaibu, a former Permanent Secretary in the State, as Chairman and Mallam Danlami Umar, Director Chieftaincy Affairs, Ministry for Local Government, Community Development and Chieftaincy Affairs, as Secretary. Other members of the committee are; Mr. Paul Kolo, Mr. Solomon Sule, Kabiru Barau, Alhaji Anaruwa Isah and Suleiman Wushishi are to serve as the legal adviser and assistant secretary. It has three weeks to complete its assignment and submit it report for onward action.
In his response, the Chairman of the committee, Shuaibu assured the Governor that they would carry out the assignment diligently.
