The House of Representatives on Wednesday resolved to set up an ad hoc committee to investigate incessant felling of trees across the country, saying it constituted environmental hazard to the country’s ecosystem.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the move by the lawmakers is to ascertain interests in the forestry sector responsible for the problem.
The resolution was sequel to a motion on “urgent need to investigate the massive deforestation and corruption that has crippled the environment and its effects on climate change in Nigeria” sponsored by Rep. Rimamnde Shawulu (Taraba – PDP).
Moving the motion, Shawulu expressed concern that continuous felling of trees was contributing to desertification and gully erosion in the country.
According to him, the practice is driven largely by demand by foreign companies for ornate species of wood called “Rosewood’’, which has resulted in the destruction of our forest resources.
He said that contrary to the law, the forest merchants export rosewood in form of logs, rather than as processed and semi-processed timber that would generate employment and business for unemployed youths.
The lawmaker added that massive conversion of shrubs and small trees into charcoal for use in homes and small scale businesses without replacement or regulation had contributed to the destruction of the ecosystem.
He warned that the practice would worsen the environmental problems currently facing the country if efforts to regulate the uncontrolled harvesting of trees remained dogged by corruption.
Shawulu stated that Nigeria was confronted with desertification which was eating deep into the country`s forest resources at the rate of 350,000 hectares annually.
He said that there was an urgent need to close gaps in the existing legal framework to save the nation`s forests.
“There are gaps in the existing regulatory framework which have made government at all tiers to abdicate their responsibilities and keep passing the buck,” he said.
Shawulu also expressed regret that contrary to extant regulations that required planting of trees in place of any one felled, no effort was being made to plant new ones.
In his remarks, the Speaker, Mr Yakubu Dogara, mandated Committee on Environment and Habitat to identify existing gaps in the forestry and environmental sector regulation and proffer solutions for curbing deforestation. (NAN)
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