By Tasi’u Hassan
Adamawa state government says its decision on the ban of tree felling, for charcoal production across the state is irreversible.
The Commissioner of Environment, Muhammad Sadiq Muhammad, made the disclosure in an interview with NAS FM’s Tasi’u Hassan in his office.
The commissioner’s pronouncement on non-reversal of the decision is coming amidst concerns by charcoal dealers and some residents of the state on the negative impacts of the ban on their activities.
He said climate change causes floods, low yield, and other disasters, explaining that experts have suggested tree planting and a ban on tree felling as some of the measures to arrest the situation.
Mohammed Sadiq, says the government is aware of the lamentations by some people on the decision, but it cannot be reversed because it was taken to save the current and future generations from the threats of climate change.
To reduce the impact of the ban, the Commissioner explained that the government has established briquette production centres, where women are being trained on the production process, across the 21 local government areas of the state.
He advised charcoal producers and dealers as well as other individuals who have interest in briquette production, to form cooperative societies and apply for loans at the Adamawa Agribusiness Support (ADAS) Programme, as the government has earmarked funds for that purpose.
According to Muhammad Sadiq, the stoppage of the cutting of trees has started yielding positive results,
because the level of heat that the state was experiencing has dropped, while cold temperatures have improved.
The Commissioner of Environment called on the people of Adamawa state, to be patient and support the government’s effort in addressing climate change and other problems associated with the environment.
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