The Kwara State House of Assembly has urged Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to ensure the enforcement of the Kwara State Charcoal Production Prohibition Law and the prosecution of offenders, as their actions adversely affect food safety.
This was part of the resolutions reached during plenary on Tuesday following a Motion on Notice on the “Urgent Need to Enforce Existing Laws against Charcoal Production and Transportation in Kwara”, moved by Halidu Danbaba, – APC/Kaiama/Kemaji/Wajibe Constituency.
Danbaba, while speaking on the motion, said charcoal production contributes significantly to deforestation, environmental degradation, loss of biodiversity and negatively impacts local livelihoods, especially those dependent on forest resources.
He stated that the unchecked exploitation of forest resources for charcoal is fast depleting the forests, particularly Kaiama and other environs with long term implications for climate resilience, food security and water availability.
The lawmaker expressed worry that despite the existence of extant environmental laws and forestry regulations aimed at controlling logging and charcoal production activities, there continued to be a glaring lack of enforcement and compliance.
He said that if decisive actions were not taken to regulate the tempo in defence of the environment, the economy and the welfare of the citizens, the state stands the risk of irreversible ecological destruction, prone to diseases, loss of lives and revenue.
Reading the resolutions, the Speaker, Yakubu Danladi-Salihu, urged the governor to direct the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice as well as the Commissioner for Environment to ensure the enforcement of the existing law to serve as deterrence.
The House also urged the governor to direct the Ministry of Environment and the State Environmental Protection Agency to immediately intensify surveillance to halt illegal production and transportation of charcoal.
They said this was important particularly in the identified notorious zones of Kwara North such as Kaiama and Baruten Local Government Areas and across the state.
The lawmakers also unanimously directed the House Committee on Environment and Forestry to conduct an investigative oversight visit to Kaiama and other affected areas to access the scale of illegal charcoal operations.
“The committee should thereafter recommend further appropriate legislative or policy action.
“We also call on the Ministry of Communication to intensify the sensitisation of citizens to the immediate and long-term consequences of large-scale charcoal production to the welfare of the citizens,” the speaker said.
Meanwhile, a Bill for a law to re-enact the Area Courts Law; to provide for the Constitution of Area Courts and to make further Provision for the Administration of Justice in Relation to Court in Kwara, passed first reading during the day’s plenary.
