ONDO. : TTO GOES TOUGH WITH FOREST ENCROACHERS
Encroachers into the forests reserves in ondo state are at the risk of the Timber Traders Organisation (TTO) and the state government monitoring teams, as the organisation vow to end their activities.
Speaking in Akure, the ondo state capital at the end of a meeting between the state government officials and members of the organisation, chairman Akure/ Ofosu forest reserves conse sioners , Pastor Olu Ayodele said the organisation will continue to do everything possible at resisting activities of encroachers into all forest reserves across the state.
According to him, the activities of this so-called encroachers have hinder the business of the real and legal allottees of various forest block across the state, who have paid several millions of naira to get document for such blocks and hinders the economic base of the state.
While he posits that his members in collaboration with the state government task force on forest reserves monitoring team will pull efforts together at getting rid activities of this encroachers from the state Forest reserves.
Pastor Olu Ayodele
Akure/Ofosu forest reserves consesioners chairman
Also, the Deputy Chairman of the Akure /Ofosu forest reserves consesioners,, Adeniyi Oloruntola lamented on the activities of the encroachers in the state, which he said are majorly from Edo and Delta states respectively have depleted the state Forest reserves in connivance with some bad heads within the organisation.
He added that efforts are on by the state government, through the the task for monitoring team in conjunction with the TTO at making sure the Ondo state Forest reserves are rip-off of encroachers.
While he informed that, the state will welcome genuine investors with good intentions , and more so that follows due process at having business in the state Forest reserves. Hon. Omotayo Abiodun, a member of the TTO says the organisation is in process of withdrawal of consesioner privileges from erring members in the state to bring sanity to the organisation.
While commenting on the issue, the Special Adviser to the Governor on natural resources, Comrade Lawal Fatai Olusola noted that, since inception of the present administration in the state, the governor has set-up a task force team at monitoring activities of encroachers across all the forest reserves in the state.
Noting that, no fewer than fifteen (15) people have been arrested and prosecuted over the issue of encroaching Forest reserves in the state.
While he added that, the state government is ready to give any reliable investors chances to thrive provided such investors meet with the lay-down guidelines..
He however warns that the state government will frown at any body trying to go by way of illegality at encroaching the state Forest reserves,t hat bothers more on the economy of the state.
While it is on note recently that, the TTO in conjunction with the state task force team apprehended five (5) trucks operating in the forest reserves of the state with registration numbers XA 891 GRA, KT 38A 26, GRA 751 XA , XD 519 MUS and XA 184 UMG all impounded at the premises of the state ministry of natural resources, Akure.
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