PDP Stalwart raises alarm over mass deforestation of Economic Trees in Nigeria

A Chieftain of the Peoples  Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Sunny Onuesoke has raised alarm over continued loss of economic trees to deforestation in Nigeria.

Chief Onuesoke stated this in a chat with Journalists on the sideline during a two-day -sensitization  workshop for high-level state forest Directors, local government authorities and civil society groups   to  create awareness on national forest inventory held in Abuja recently.

He said Nigeria's forests are fast disappearing saying that urgent steps are needed to be taken to  protect them for the benefit of Nigeria's economy.
 
Chief Onuesoke lamented that the current level of mass deforestation is alarming, just as he pointed out that  if  Nigeria leaders do not do something about it, the future of the environment is not guaranteed.

According  to him, deforestation is  the removal of forests by humans, either for timber or to clear land for other uses: agriculture  or urbanization. He explained that  in Nigeria, deforestation has become a severe issue due to the country's rapidly growing population, coupled with the increasing demand for timber, fire wood, and agricultural land. His words:" According to the United Nations, Nigeria has the highest deforestation rate in the world, with an estimated 3.7% of its forest lost every year.”

He explained that deforestation disrupts the natural balance of ecosystems which leads  to soil erosion, loss of biodiversity, changes in the local climate, contributes to releasing large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, stressing that, it equally  negatively affects the local population by reducing access to clean water and increasing the risk of flooding and landslides.

The PDP Chieftain disclosed that report by the United Nations Collaborative Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries (UN-REDD) showed  that the decline rate of forest cover in Nigeria ranged from 3.5% to 3.7% per annum over the period 2000 to 2010, adding,  this translates to a loss of 350,000–400,000 hectares of forest land yearly.

Chief Onuesoke  who is the Chief Executive Officer,(CEO),Onuesoke Foundation which is committed and determined to environmental development initiatives  said:"To  address the issue of deforestation in Nigeria, several solutions can be implemented. One approach is to promote sustainable agricultural practices that can help to reduce the pressure on forests. 

This can be achieved through the use of better farming techniques, such as conservation agriculture, agro forestry and the use of improved seeds and fertilisers. 

“Another solution is to promote sustainable forestry practices, such as selective logging, reforestation and afforestation. Efforts can be made to improve law enforcement and address corruption, which can help reduce illegal logging and other activities contributing to deforestation", he added.