By Queen Kunde
The Taraba state government has reiterated its commitment to rid the state of illegal mining and deforestation especially the felling of economic trees by charcoal merchants.
Speaking at a parley with news men in Abuja over the weekend, Chairman of the Taraba State Task Force on environmental protection, public safety and prohibition of land degradation, General Jeremiah Faransa, (RTD.) said the fear of desertification, hazards and other environmental degradation in the long run has informed the continued enforcement of the ban on felling of trees to make charcoal by the Governor Kefas-led administrations across the State.
He highlighted the dangers that lie in the recent trend of mass export of charcoal out of Taraba State irrespective of the law that prohibits it to include loss of revenue to the producers of the coal in Taraba Sate.
According to him, “Our forests are being destroyed daily for charcoal production business by aliens coming from outside Taraba State, this poses different threats to the State, ranging from thwarting economic growth and even security of the lives of our people”.
Recently the taskforce intercepted a truck load of bags of charcoals leaving the state for an unknown destination which investigations are ongoing to unravel, but considering the high cost it is been sold in other states, the task force is of the view this recent mass exodus of the charcoal is to be sold in other States outside Taraba.
“We have continued to sensitize our people about the need to support this policy to succeed, how can we cut down our trees leaving our environment at risk just to produce in large quantities for commercial purposes charcoal, sell it here for four thousand naira to people who will take it to other states and sell for exorbitant prices, like we just found out that in Abuja Charcoal sells for Ten to Twelve thousand Naira per bag, This is exactly the reason why His Excellency Governor Agbu Kefas suspended mining activities and deforestation across the state until further directive just to protect our State” he assured.
Faransa appealed to the people of Taraba to cooperate with the government in ensuring the restoration of the various forest that have so far been destroyed by those he considers as enemies of the State who have continued to disregard the ban.
“We must secure our environment against any destruction and habitation of criminals”.
“Charcoal production is for personal business not any state gains, so we must stop it as directed by His Excellency Governor Agbu Kefas as contained in the executive order”.
He added that for Taraba State to achieve the desired development as promised by His Excellency, Governor Agbu Kefas, everyone in the state must be committed to supporting the process, shun false rumor peddling and negative media publications that cast aspersion on the genuine efforts been put in place.
Faransa further revealed that the government is aware of the public outcry in the state over the rising cost of charcoal due to the ongoing battle against the illegal cutting of trees, admitting the hardship, especially in the face of high cost of cooking gas and fuel for domestic use, he said consultations are ongoing to find ways to separate those consuming the product domestically from the merchant who export out of the state at the expense of the revenue for Taraba.
During the press conference, General Faransa also touched on the menace of illegal mining that has continued side by side with the heavy deforestation of the land, posing a double jeopardy for the state.
He revealed that since June 2023, when the state governor, Dr. Agbu Kefas, inaugurated the Taraba State Task Force on Environmental Protection, Public Safety and Prohibition of Deforestation under his watch the Task Force has achieved a lot just as it faced several challenges due to the presence of an entrenched “cartel” and bottlenecks from official and non-official quarters.
“This battle has been a fierce one, besides the fact that the terrain we go in search of this illegal activities is hard to reach, it is a huge challenge considering the land mass and the under-developed nature of the state with no good road networks yet, sometimes we have to trek up to five hours to reach this hideouts, then you are confronted with a two, three and sometimes Five thousand illegal miners at one single site, it is indeed a grave danger to our State development” he lamented.
Reports reveal that the Task Force has so far discovered 15 illegal mining sites across five local government areas of the state namely Sardauna, Gashaka, Bali, Wukari and Karim-Lamido. From where about 17 foreign nationals and 100 Nigerians involved in illegal mining have been arrested and handed over to the special mobile court for prosecution.
Also, over a billion naira has been realized as fines from those arrested for flouting the Executive Order.
Some natural resources been illegally mined as discovered include Fluoride, Zircon, Blue Sapphire, Lead, Iron Monzite, Quartz and Galena.
In September 2023, the Task Force made the biggest recovery of 22,373 kilograms of Blue Sapphire in Mayo Sena, a notorious illegal mining site in Sardauna LGA of Taraba State.
Commenting on the discovery, Faransa also disclosed the enormous mineral potentials in the state, which includes the discovery of uranium in Yorro LGA boasting that many others lye undiscovered as Taraba State soil is naturally highly endowed.