In a bid to rid off Ekiti State of criminal activities, the governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi has promised to employ more forest guards for implementation of forest laws that would stop bandits from using forests for criminal activities and checkmate illegal loggers depleting the forest.
The Governor made the statement through the Chairman, Ekiti State Forestry Commission, Kayode Olaosebikan, who represented Fayemi on Tuesday in Ado Ekiti while receiving the report f a six-month Survey of 31Cultural sites in the state, led by Dr. Babajide Agboola and staff of the forestry commission.
The state governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, said “as part of our strategies, we are giving license to loggers to fell mature trees in our forest reserves so that when the criminals know there are ongoing activities there, they will flee the forests” Saying, The government is not unaware of the dreaded activities being perpetrated by some criminals in the forests. Efforts are being geared up to arrest the situation”
The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Environment, Dr Akinyemi Akinyugha, said, “Most of the security threats happening around us are done in the forests across the states where bandits take their victims to; that is, where we also have illegal tree felling. That is why cutting and logging of trees must be regulated.”
The state forestry commission said it already has a proposal, which will be approved soon. We want to hire more guards to safeguard our forests against insecurity and illegal lumbering that can endanger our people and our economy.
The government at present has enough personnel, but some of them will be retiring soon. We also feel that we should have more that can effectively cover our forest reserves so that our people and economy can be saved from wicked people.”
