Ebonyi State Government has constituted a 12- man Timber Madrid Buyers Association, to intensify campaign against illegal felling of trees by the people.
The State Commissioner for Environment Hon Victor Chukwu, made the disclosure in Abakaliki the capital city while inaugurating the Association.
The Commissioner represented by the Special Assistant to Governor Nwifuru on Environment Mr Melford Nwuruku, charged the members to see the assignment as a call to duty.
According to him, “the State Government is committed to the sustainance of Forestry reserves and it’s management”
The Commissioner described the sustainability of trees as a priority, and assured of government support in the realization of this objectives.
“Government will ensure that the Association succeeds in their assignment, planting of more trees will boost greener environment”
“The Association Terms of Reference is to curb illegal felling of woods and transportation, your activities is backed by Laws enacted by the State House of Assembly to protect species of trees from going into extinction
Responding, the State Chairman of Timber Madrid Buyers Association Mr Nwokwu Cletus, assured that the members would discharge their responsibilities in tanderm with the mandate .
“We are law abiding citizens, we will fulfill our given mandate iin line with the State Governor’s manifesto tagged “People’s Charter of Needs”
Contributing, the National Secretary Timber Madrid Buyers Association, Mr Vincent Igwe, said that the Association had over years worked assidously in ensuring that any tree taken from the forest is replaced with new ones.
“We tend to create loading cluster in Ebonyi State, considering it’s proximity to seaport, we have a regulatory loading base that enables us track where the timber is coming from and where it’s going ”
“We also wish to develop a timber Economy in the State, a lot of timbers have been harvested in the State, it means that the soil can produce lots of timber, we have the land for us to develop timber Economy for the state by setting up as much as possible timber plantation”
” the association efforts would boost revenue generation, we will curb the menace of illegal felling of trees in the State” he reiterated.
