Taraba State government has reemphasized its commitment to completely stop illegal mining and deforestation especially the felling of economic trees for charcoal in the state.
The Chairman of the Taraba State Task Force on Environmental Protection, Public Safety and Prohibition of Land Degradation, retired General Jeremiah Faransa, said the fear of desertification, hazards and other environmental degradation in the long run has informed the continued enforcement of the ban on felling of trees to make charcoal by the Governor Agbu Kefas
He stated that the dangers that lie in the recent trend of mass export of charcoal out of Taraba State irrespective of the law that prohibits it to include loss of revenue to the producers of the coal in Taraba Sate.
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According to him, “Our forests are being destroyed daily for charcoal production business by aliens coming from outside Taraba State, this poses different threats to the State, ranging from thwarting economic growth and even security of the lives of our people”.
Recently the taskforce intercepted a truck load of bags of charcoals leaving the state for an unknown destination which investigations are ongoing to unravel, but considering the high cost it is been sold in other states, the task force is of the view this recent mass exodus of the charcoal is to be sold in other States outside Taraba.
“We have continued to sensitize our people about the need to support this policy to succeed, how can we cut down our trees leaving our environment at risk just to produce in large quantities for commercial purposes charcoal, sell it here for four thousand naira to people who will take it to other states and sell for exorbitant prices.
“We just found out that in Abuja, charcoal sells for 10 to 12 thousand Naira per bag, This is exactly the reason why His Excellency Governor Agbu Kefas suspended mining activities and deforestation across the state until further directive just to protect our State” he assured.
Faransa appealed to the people of Taraba to cooperate with the government in ensuring the restoration of the various forest that have so far been destroyed by those he considers as enemies of the State who have continued to disregard the ban.
“We must secure our environment against any destruction and habitation of criminals”.
“Charcoal production is for personal business not any state gains, so we must stop it as directed by His Excellency Governor Agbu Kefas as contained in the executive order”.
He added that for Taraba State to achieve the desired development as promised by His Excellency, Governor Agbu Kefas, everyone in the state must be committed to supporting the process, shun false rumor peddling and negative media publications that cast aspersion on the genuine efforts been put in place.
Faransa further revealed that the government is aware of the public outcry in the state over the rising cost of charcoal due to the ongoing battle against the illegal cutting of trees, admitting the hardship, especially in the face of high cost of cooking gas and fuel for domestic use, he said consultations are ongoing to find ways to separate those consuming the product domestically from the merchant who export out of the state at the expense of the revenue for Taraba.
During the press conference, General Faransa also touched on the menace of illegal mining that has continued side by side with the heavy deforestation of the land, posing a double jeopardy for the state.
He revealed that since June 2023, when the state governor, Dr. Agbu Kefas, inaugurated the Taraba State Task Force on Environmental Protection, Public Safety and Prohibition of Deforestation under his watch the Task Force has achieved a lot just as it faced several challenges due to the presence of an entrenched “cartel” and bottlenecks from official and non-official quarters.
“This battle has been a fierce one, besides the fact that the terrain
