Lokoja — The Kogi State Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Alhaji Abdulrahman Wuya, has called for partial removal of forestry products from core revenue sources of government.

The commissioner who made the call yesterday in Lokoja said it has become necessary in view of the devastating effects of unrestrained degradation of the environment.

According to him, forest management should not be primarily concerned with revenue generation but conservation of natural sources adding that tree felling should be based on sustainable forest management principle of cut and replace.

"We are not to saying totally that we cannot generate money from our natural resources but setting revenue targets for forestry officials to meet within specific period does not augur well for the environment. Revenue should not be the primary thing, we should prioritize regeneration of our forests by maintaining and protecting the reserves," he said.

He said that once target was given, they are asking people to destroy the reserves, "I am saying that it will lead to deforestation while the effect will be more than the revenue seeking to derive."

He noted that the recent flood which affected the state and other environmental disasters facing the country and parts of the world were direct consequences of poor management the environment.