Oshiomhole Warns Forest Destroyers

Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole yesterday inaugurated the committees for protection of government property and that of forestry monitoring with a call on them to be strict and civil in the discharge of their duties.

The governor who expressed worry over the indiscriminate felling of trees however, noted that such attitude creates environmental hazards to the environment.

While charging the committees to ensure that they key into government policies and programmes for the overall development and benefit of the people, Comrade Oshiomhole warned that government cannot continue to fold its hands and watch illegal fellers destroying the forest, adding that part of the task of the committee for protection of government property was to police and ensure that Government property is not encroached into by some unscrupulous elements in the society.

According to the governor, “What is required of you is to protect government property in areas where illegal structures have been cleared so that the people do not go back there after demolition of their structures.

“Since this is a civilian government your method in carrying out your activities should be civil and the committee must deal with everybody equally according to the laws of the land,” he advised.

Comrade Oshiomhole also disclosed that any committee set up by government will be given the necessary political will to enable it function properly.

In doing so, anybody who engage any of such committee set up by government is indirectly engaging the state government.

Responding on behalf of other members of the committee on protection of government property, its chairman, Chief Sylvanus – Peters Eruaga thanked the governor for the appointment even as he said that the task before the committee is enormous but surmountable.

Chief Eruaga further stated that under his leadership his committee will no only protect Government’s material property, but will do everything possible to also protect human properties of Government beginning from the Comrade Governor as the number one property of the state.

He therefore concluded by reiterating that the committee shall without fear or favour prepare to step on both small, medium and big toes anytime it becomes necessary in the course of protecting and defending government’s properties, policies and programmes so long as such actions/exercise will yield positive developmental results or serves as corrective measure towards achieving a success story for the good people of he state through the leadership of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole as governor of the state.

On his part, the Chairman Committee on Forestry Monitoring Mr. Lucky Eriyo promised that the committee would deliver on it mandate without fear or favour.

Mr. Eriyo however added that his committee will ensure that what is due government gets to its treasury while all loopholes where money from forestry monitoring are looted will be blocked.

While the committee on protection of Government property have 24 members its forestry monitoring counterpart had 32.