Ogun Loses N500m Annually to Forest Encroachment, Say Timber Dealers

James Sowole in Abeokuta

Timber dealers in Ogun State, have alerted government on alleged illegal activities of farmers, who had encroached on the sprawling government forest reserve at J4 to plant cocoa.

The dealers, under the aegis of Ijebu Sawmillers and Timber Contractors Association, said the state government was losing about N500 million annually, to activities of those they described as illegal farmers as they destroy economic trees, to plant cocoa.

The timber dealers expressed their concerns during an interaction with journalists in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, stating that the chemicals being used to kill the trees, also destroy eco-system.

They alleged that the illegal cocoa farmers, go about with all kinds of weapons within the forest reserve located in Ijebu East Local Government area of the state.

Speaking with journalists, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees Ijebu Sawmillers and Timber Contractors Association, said that about 90 per cent of the farmers are from states like Benue, Edo, Kwara, Osun, Nasarawa, Ondo among others.

He explained that, though the government of Otunba Gbenga Daniel, ejected most of these farmers but they had sinc returned after his administration and had continued to explode in numbers.

The 75-year-old Pa Ibrahim said:  “The state was formerly having nine forest reserves but due to the illegal activities of these cocoa farmers, the state is now left with this Omo Forest Reserve in J4 and it is almost being taken over by these cocoa farmers.

“They are so ruthless to the extent that they are using chemicals to kill most of these economic trees planted with World Bank funding after which they will plant their cocoa and banana.

“Gov Dapo Abiodun must come to our aid; he should order these illegal farmers out of the government forest reserves, Ondo State did same and they have been able to sanitise their forest reserves.

“These people are not more powerful than the government. Our means of livelihood are under serious threat, the governor should please rise up to these challenges.

“I need to also add that these illegal cocoa farmers have no stakes in our local politics in the state, they are foreigners and during election period you see them going back to their states to vote. So, they are contributing nothing to our politics, they are nothing but parasites.”

The Secretary, Board of Trustees of the association, Mr Opeoluwa Idowu, who also spoke at the event, said that the state government like that of Ondo State, should demonstrate decisive and firm leadership to end the nefarious activities of these illegal cocoa farmers by flushing them out of the Omo Forest Reserve.

Idowu, who is also the President of Sawmillers Association of Ogun State, said that one cannot but get sad and be annoyed at the level of the ongoing criminal activities and wanton destruction of the natural habitat of the forest reserves as well as the destruction of the economic trees.

He said: “As an association we have equally planted these economic trees in about 15 hectares and these farmers have also been destroying them, they sometimes mobilise people to attack us. They are always armed with all kind of dangerous weapons. All of these criminal acts can’t continue as if we don’t have a government.

“Across Ogun State, it is only in Ogun East Senatorial District, that is Ijebu and Remo land that we still have bit of thriving timber business and it is because of this Omo Forest Reserve that is still serving us, other forest reserves have been taken over by these illegal cocoa farmers. We really don’t want this to happen to this our collective heritage in Omo Forest.

“And let me tell you that the state government is losing over N500m annually to the activities of these illegal cocoa farmers who are predominantly foreigners.

“We know that Gov Dapo Abiodun is trying but we want him to do so much more. Out of the initial nine enclaves,that the government approved for people to be living inside these forest reserves, we now have over 200 illegal enclaves or communities. This is not acceptable. Now is the time for the government to send these people packing.

“The chemicals these farmers are using to kill these economic trees is causing significant harm to the eco system. The endangered animals like the elephants have been chased away, we are all aware of the problem of climate change which is aggravated by deforestation, so, the government just have to rise up to this challenge.”

The Secretary of the group, Pastor Funmileye Akinukawe lauded Gov Abiodun and the Commissioner for Forestry, Taiwo Oludotun for the effort made in the past to check the activities of these illegal cocoa farmers.

Akinukawe, however, said that the problem is now assuming a dangerous dimension with these set of farmers taking over 90 percent of the Omo Forest Reserve.

He revealed that the licensed timber contractors generated over N900 million to the coffers of the state government last year whereas these illegal cocoa farmers usually ferry their produce to neighbouring states like Osun and Ondo to sell, causing great revenue loss to the government.

Akinukawe added: “It is worrisome that these illegal cocoa farmers are doing everything to turn this forest to Sambisa Forest, the home of the Boko Haram insurgents in the northern part of the country because these farmers are always bringing in weapons.

“It is even surprising that the governor ordered the farmers to leave in the past but they refused. We have equally written to the governor on these dangerous trends. We sincerely plead with Gov Abiodun to rise and help us and protect this our collective heritage from being destroyed by these illegal farmers”.

The Treasurer of the association, Mr. Thomas Dehinbo, urged Gov Abiodun to send these illegal farmers to various farm settlements across the state which were established years back for planting of both food and cash crops.

He said: “there are lots of farm settlements all over the state for the farmers to plant cocoa, forest reserves are not meant to be cocoa plantation and so the governor should please take decisive action to flush them out. These farmers are nothing but economic saboteurs and should be treated as such”.

When contacted, the Commissioner for Forestry,  Taiwo Oludotun, said that the government is aware of the situation and already taking steps to address the challenge.

Oludotun said: “the government is aware of this challenge and we are already working on it.”