…Over 30 truckloads of timber transported from Bayelsa daily – Clarkson, NAS

By Samuel Oyadongha

The lush mangrove vegetation of Bayelsa State, one of the largest wetlands in the Niger Delta, and the country is under severe threat by illegal loggers whose activities may shortly expose communities in the state to tidal erosion and destroy the environment except critical counteractive steps are taken to rein them in.

The loggers have flouted the ban on logging and deforestation by the governor, Senator Douye Biri, as they continue to plunder the woodlands of the state, daily.

Exit points
At the timber loading dump in Onuebum-Otuogori communities, Ogbia Local Government Area, an average of 12 trucks are loaded and transported to markets in eastern part of the country on daily basis while the Tombia/Amassom axis in the central senatorial district account for about eight truckloads ferried out of the state daily.

Also, no fewer than 10 truckloads of logs move out of the state daily around the Sagbama and Zarama forests, off the East-West Road. The business is also booming in the deep swamp area where illegal loggers arbitrarily deplete the forest reserves without replacing same.

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The state has six forest reserves – Taylor Creek, Edumanom, Apoi Creek, Nun River, Igbedi Creek and Ikebiri Creek, home to the Niger-Delta Red Colobus, one of the endangered monkey species found only in Bayelsa.

Gov’s directives
Governor Diri had, in March, banned logging and other deforestation activities as part of efforts to protect the state’s forest reserves and rare plant species, and directed that all commercial timber dealers must obtain a permit from the Ministry of Environment, henceforth, before embarking on logging activities.

Govt should match words with action —Clarkson, NAS
However, President of Oxbow Marino Deck, National Association of Seadogs, NAS, Bayelsa State, Mr. Amaebi Clarkson, in a chat with NDV,    urged the government to match words with action towards preserving its forests which according to him, had great socio-economic benefits.

Clarkson who stressed the need for an aggressive enlightenment campaign in the communities to galvanize the traditional rulers, community leaders, and youth bodies to help protect and preserve the forests from the illegal loggers, also called on government to engage forest guards to put the illegal loggers to flight, noting with concern that the level of abuse of the forest was unacceptable.

“The indiscriminate logging activities in Bayelsa is becoming worrisome. Though the state has the richest vegetation in the country, natural economic trees like Iroko, Mahogany, red/white Afara, iron tree, cotton tree among others, loggers have almost depleted the forest.

More distressing
“More alarming is the felling of the bush mango (irvingla gabonensis) popularly called ogbono tree for woodwork. The ogbono species from Bayelsa is believed to be the best as attested to by consumers. Studies have also shown that the bush mango has curative potentials for high blood pressure and other ailments.

“Unfortunately, it is fast disappearing in our forest prompting some people to start its cultivation. But the same cannot be said of other economic trees like mahogany and iroko. The iroko tree (called aku in Ijaw) that was in abundance in the state has almost gone extinct in the forest.

“These trees which are natural habitats of freshwater vegetation are almost depleted and loggers have further moved to the salt water mangrove forest cutting down arbitrarily trees like rhizophorus apiculata, locally called angala which naturally protects the mangrove vegetation from tidal erosion and torrential wind,” he asserted.

Way out
Clarkson lamented that while the communities out of ignorance or sheer greed, destroy their environment for peanuts, the loggers are smiling to the bank.

“Cumulatively, 30 trucks of timber are transported out of Bayelsa daily. This is aside from the unaccounted number that is lumbered from the creeks and rivers out of the state.

“We, therefore, commend the state government’s pronouncement that it will repeal the moribund laws and send a bill to the state House of Assembly to protect the forests. This is the only way we can save the forest for future generations,” he added.

Vanguard News Nigeria