The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced plans to commence the review of its policies on forest reserves.
The Minister of Environment, Mrs Amina Mohammed, made this known on Monday at an event to mark the 2016 International Day of Forests.
She said that the nation was yet to tap into the economic benefits of its forest resources, owing to inadequate enforcement of the regulatory policies.
The Minister added that the Federal Government was looking at the possibility of sanctioning those involved in indiscriminate felling.
“We need to review the National Forest Policy to ensure among other things certification of roads and ensure that illegal loggers.
“In fact, we need to find the incentives and not just deal with the penalties. There have to be incentives to stop the logging to begin with.
“It is not that we don’t have the policies or the regulations. Nigeria has enough regulations and Acts but enforcing them is a very big challenge and that is what we intend to try to do,” she said.
The Minister further stressed the need for genuine partnership in tackling the issue.
March 21 of every year has been set aside globally to create a platform to enlighten people on the importance of all types of tress in and outside forests.
The forests play a vital role in our daily lives, even as over 2,000 indigenous cultures depend on forests for their livelihood such as feeding, medicine and shelter.
Source : Channelstv
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