Ondo Timber Traders Organisation Frowns At Illegality Of Encroachers Activities

By Niyi Olutunde, Akure

Following the illegal activities of encroachers in Ondo State Forest Reserve, the Timber Traders Organisation (TTO) has vowed that it would continue to do everything possible to resist the activities of encroachers at any governemnt forest reserves in the state.

Speaking with CityMirrorNews in Akure, Ondo state capital at the end of a meeting held with the government officials in the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Chairman, Akure/Ofosu Forest Reserve Consensioner, Pastor Olu Ayodele said the activities of this so-called encroachers in the state have hinder the real business of Timber Trader Organisation and legal allottees of various forest block who have paid millions of naira to get their document for such blocks.

Ayodele maintained that his members in collaboration with the state government task force on forest reserves monitoring team would joined hands together in getting rid of activities of the encroachers from the state forest reserves.

The activities of this encroachers however led to the arrest of five trucks from neiboring state, Edo by the government task force official at the weekend following their illegality.

The registration number of the trucks are, XA 891 GRA, KT 38426, GRA 715 XA, XD 519 MUS and XA 184 UMG.

Also, the Deputy Chairman of the Akure/Ofosu Forest Reserve Consensioner, Mr 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 reserve in connivance with some bad heads within the organisation.

He added that efforts are on by the state government, through the the task force monitoring team in conjunction with the Timber Trader Organisation at making sure the state forest reserve are rip-off of encroachers.

Oloruntola however said that the state government will welcome genuine investors with good intentions in order to boost the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state.

In his reaction, the Senior Assistant to the Governor on Natural Resources, Hon. Fatai Olusina, also condemned the activities of the encroachers, saying they were all enemies of progress as long as they continue in the act.

Olusina said government has decided to take a decisive action on whosoever that cut tress illegally in the state and that, it would no longer be a business as usual.

He posited that the government is ready to partner with anyone that want to do legal business with the state in respective of where he/she is coming from.

His words, “I want to speak unequivocally that, Mr Governor will not fold his arms allowing some miscreants wasting away our precious gift of nature for their selfish interest in which any one caught, shall be dealt with accordingly”

He however warned that  the state government would frown at any body trying to go by way of illegality at encroaching the state forest reserves.