NAN-AE-8
Energy
By Ebere Agozie
Abuja, March 24, 2017 (NAN) The Federal Government says it will partner with relevant organisations to workout modalities for the provision of alternative sources of energy and improved wood stoves for the rural population.
Dr Shehu Ahmed, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Environment, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja.
“We need to increase the use of cooking gas, liquefied natural gas, while increasing plantation of woodlots in communities or individual farms and avoiding indiscriminate bush burning,” he said.
According to him, government has put in place some strategies to keep the forest safe.
This, he said included control of wood exports to ensure forest conservation, engagement of wood-based industries in reforestation and afforestation, enhancing conversion efficiency and increasing value additions for processed wood before exportation.
He, however, said that stakeholders needed to do their bits to ensure the stoppage of deforestation.
“We all need to plan and protect our forests everywhere and anywhere, and continue to raise awareness on the need for sustainable preservation of our forests for the future generation,” he said.
Ahmed said that the Federal Government would intensify environmental education in schools and roll out new public awareness programmes on forest conservation and community participation.
“Awareness creation on the importance of forest to sustainable development is very critical and that is why we want to catch them young.
“This will also highlight the impact and consequences of human activities on the forests and socio-economic development as well as mobilise all stakeholders against deforestation.
“National forests alone cannot sustain the growing need for wood consumption in the country, so there is the urgent need for a shift to alternative resources,” he said.
According to him, the government is carrying everybody along by encouraging people, not only to plant trees, but to design and implement plans to develop barren lands and mountains suitable for afforestation.
“There is also the need to stamp out illegal tree felling and intensify tree planting in urban and rural areas, this should be emphasised and promoted,’’ he said.
It is estimated that Nigeria’s fuel wood consumption is about 87 per cent and the daily consumption by the rural communities is about 27.5 million kilogrammes per day. (NAN)
EPA/MAS/EEE
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Edited by Moses Solanke/Ese E. Ekama