The Charcoal Export Legality and Compliance Group, has flagged-off a tree planting project to address the challenges of climate change in Nigeria.
The tree planting project which was supported by Federal Department of Forestry, Ministry of Environment and Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN), was carried out yesterday, along Odo-Ogun River, Iseyin Oyo State.
Speaking during the tree planting exercise, the Minister of Environment, Mr Mohammed Abdullahi, said that the afforestation project embarked upon by the group was in line with the national forest policy of the federal government.
Abdullahi, who was represented by Deputy-Director, Federal Department of Forestry, Federal Ministry of Environment, Mrs Olukanni Abosede, added that the project was in fulfilment of requirements for Nigeria Timber legality standard for wood export.
He noted that the federal government lifted the ban on wood and charcoal export in January in recognition of the ecological, social, cultural and economic functions of the forest products to make the full potential of the forestry sector to be known.
According to him, the federal government decided to put some measures in place for the export to continue, saying part of the measures stipulated that the wood export groups must embark on aforestation, a return to forest initiative whereby the group would plant trees back.
"The Nigeria Timber legality standard is set up to make sure that all the trees that are leaving the country are legal wood."
"The aforestation project by charcoal export legality group is a compliance to both the national forest policy and Nigeria timber legality standard," he said.
The minister noted that climate change posed a big threat to the entire world, adding that deforestation played critical roles in addressing the challenges of climate change.
He urged every citizen to plant trees in the neighbourhood to combat climate change.
Also speaking, the President, Charcoal Export Legality and Compliance Group of Independent Companies, Mrs Omolola Idowu, said that the aim of the group was to ensure charcoal export legality in Nigeria.
Idowu said that the group stand on legal process of getting charcoal business done lawfully and creating a traceability system where exporters would be accountable for the environment.
She noted that trees planting project embarked upon by the group was in fulfilment of annual reforestation pledge made by the group to federal government.
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Idowu, added that the group had also developed a portal for effective tracing of Nigeria forest products.
"Today each member of our association starts planting a minimum of one hectare every year. We are going to make Nigeria a reforestation giant of Africa."
"We are starting with four different tree species. We have a ten years strategy because trees take a long time to mature, part of our strategy is to plant fast speed growing specialised seedlings."
"We are in partnership with Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria for the supply of fast growing specialised seedlings that will grow fast within three to four years and reach maturity in five to six years."
"We believe if we continue with this pace, in 10 years time we should be able to have 100 percent forest management and export legality," she said.
Commenting, the Director-General (DG), Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria, Dr Zacharia Buba-Zacharia Buba-Yaduma, said that charcoal legality was a step forward to check the illegal activities of people exploiting the forest without replanting.
He added that the initiative would also play ernomous role in tackling the challenges of climate change.
The DG called on other forest products groups to emulate charcoal export legality and compliance group to jointly make Nigeria green.
