Reckless, Irresponsible Deforestation Ongoing In Southern Kaduna: An Open Invitation To Desertification
The Oasis Reporters
February 15, 2021
By Col. Dauda Gora (rtd)
Dateline: Morning.13 Feb 21.
While on my way to Southern Kaduna, I counted more than 40 empty trucks heading in the same direction. In the evening of the same day on my return trip I counted about the same number of trucks fully loaded with firewood for sale in Kaduna and elsewhere.
This is a daily routine and my heart bled for our hapless people mainly from Kajuru, Kachia and Zangon Kataf LGAs from whose lands this reckless exploitation of the wood is currently ongoing.
Funny enough, the Authorities in Kaduna appear to be turning a blind eye to the reckless deforestation. Existing only on paper there used to be a law providing that you may not cut down any tree without planting at least 5 others. This was designed to check the massive deforestation ongoing but you can bet that the firewood merchants have all but rubbished this law.
The Southern part of Kaduna State has all along been treated as if it is a war booty. The firewood merchants appear to be in a race or competition to finish cutting down the forest in the areas mentioned.
As this massive exploitation is ongoing, the Kaduna State governor ought to have ordered a stop to this recklessness but why should he care when it is not his village that is being laid bare of forest cover?
There is no State in this beleaguered nation particularly in the East or Western parts where this madness will be allowed to go on for this long. I am wondering what protecting the environment means to the Kaduna State government. I am thinking that it is terribly unfair to so recklessly exploit the resources of other peoples without adequately paying for them. The affected LGA need to put this issue on the front burner to protect the future of generations to come.
As far as the firewood merchants are concerned, it is only the money they are concerned about. Why should they bother about the obvious negative effects of their reckless and possibly illegal forest exploitation on other people’s lands?
Very clearly the forest cannot grow to match the rate at which trees are cut down. This recklessness should stop or at the very least be controlled. I was just thinking aloud.
Col. Dauda Gora (rtd) writes from Kaduna, north west Nigeria.
