By Titus Oise
Special Correspondent, Benin City
Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, has warned against illegal activities in the forests, saying nobody has the right to trespass into forest reserves to do things inimical to public health, public welfare, and public interest.
He explained to members of Okpamakhin Initiative who visited him at Government House, Benin City that the government must be on the side of the people, and if individuals abuse public interest, it is the duty of the government to call them to order.
Said he: “I listened to your complaint and promised to look into it. I have carried out investigation and I found that as you rightly said, the land that was given to Iyayi was purely for him to regenerate and to farm, not for him to sublet, not to talk of selling it to another party, and that party selling.
“But we have since revoked it, and I have ordered that Okomu should be stopped from planting or interfering because there is a public authority, there is a public interest.
“In addition to all the issues you mentioned about preservation and protecting special species, and all the other interests, it is also the fact that there are laws of the land.
“Nobody has the right to just trespass into the forest and begin to do things that are inimical to public health, public welfare, and then public interest.”
Oshiomhole noted that in spite of the order, illegal activities are still going on in the forests, and the government will have to review the measures in place and reinforce them; “but … if they are still working there, they don’t have our approval.”
He told the delegation to “convey this fact to the community,” and said he would ask his chief of staff to write to everyone to reiterate that the government will not condone illegal activities and will do what has to be done to protect public interest.
“The Constitution is very clear about ownership of land, and the fact that land is vested in the government of the state, and when the state has revoked it, you can’t proceed to speculate, and do the sort of things you said the people are still doing.
“So, that culture of impunity is at the heart of the anti-corruption war that President Muhammadu Buhari is fighting, and for which I am a strong subscriber and a believer.
“Convey to your communities that I appreciate them, that we have revoked, and it stands revoked, and that Okomu does not have the right to trespass into that forest, and that they should not allow anybody to violate the forest.”
Okpamakhin Initiative spokesman, Anthony Erha, recalled that part of the land was given many years ago to Iyayi Group of Companies, acquired during the tenure of former Governor Lucky Igbinedion.
“Most of the land, we got to know, was given to Iyayi for regeneration, having deforested the land through excessive logging,” he added.
“About two and half years ago, we were surprised that that same land and so many others were sold to A and Hartman Limited which in turn sold it to Okomu Oil Palm Company for the establishment of palm plantation ….
“Because they destroyed all the fringes of the forest, today that forest is very fragile.
“Animals that are there include the white-coated monkey that has the closest relationship and same brain structure with humans, and we also have the African forest elephant that is only found in Edo State in the whole world.
“Now, we have those in the forest and tourists come from all over the country to see them.”