ICYMI: Bayelsa govt bans logging activities to protect forests

[Abigail pereowei]

The Bayelsa State Government has banned all logging activities in the state, stressing that the decision was to protect the forests from over exploitation.

The State Commissioner for Environment, Hon Ebi Ben Ololo disclosed this at a press conference in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State on Tuesday, according to the Punch.

The closure of the forest in February this year, has sparked mixed reactions among stakeholders including loggers and communities.

Speaking to journalists at the briefing Ololo expressed disappointment that the loggers were indiscriminately destroying economic trees like ‘bush mango’, palm trees all over the forests.

He accused them of not obtaining permission from government before entering the forests to carry out logging activities.

He added that their actions were affecting biodiversity and increasing greenhouse gases, thereby worsening climate change issues in the state

Ololo stated the logging activities also affected the water cycle and air pollution among others, lamenting that over 95 per cent of the logs were being taken out of the state hence the urgent need to stop their activities.

Ololo said: “There are 15 reasons why we closed Bayelsa forests to logging and I say it everywhere.We announced that they should meet with us but they refused to come. It was when we announced the ban on logging that they came.

“Even then, they didn’t come to us, we were the ones that called them. Until that time, they were not paying any fees, but now they have started paying.

“Over 95 per cent of the logs go outside the state and when they cut down trees, they don’t plant any trees.

"Logging has effect on climate change and it releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.”

The commissioner expressed appreciation to the Bayelsa State House of Assembly and the Speaker for their support in curtailing the activities of the loggers.


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