From: Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin-Kebbi
The Kebbi State Government has said that some youths in the state who were into mining have been stopped along other unregistered miners from further desertification of the environment.
Commissioner for Environment and Solid Minerals, Alhaji Moh’d Suleiman Marafa, who confirmed this during a press conference in Birnin-Kebbi, said they were asked to form Cooperatives Society before their case would be considered.
Marafa said that the state government stopped the youths from the illegal mining activities because their activities posed a lot of threats to the environment.
Marafa said the state government still enforces restriction on illegal mining in the state, stressing that many areas in the state are being exposed to erosion due to their activities.
He said that about 86 kilometres of land of economy trees were inherited by the present administration and that the state would maintain the forest and restrict illegal miners from endangering the environment.
Speaking on deforestation, the Commissioner said about one million forest and economy trees would be planted across the state to protect it environment against desertification.
He said that the trees comprises of Mangoes, Cashews, Guava trees among others.
Said he, “Most of our forest trees have been cut off for charcoal by our people and hardly a family in the state you will see that would not have one or two family members involving in such trade. The most important aspects of it is that they would not plant new one to replace them in the forest.
“Therefore, our forests were left open. So, to prevent desertification, our government had plan to distribute a million economy trees to all stakeholders and farmers especially to safe guide our forest,” he said.