WELCOME TO R!NEWS: Osun Closes Two Forest Reserves Over Illegal Activities

OsogboÂ – Osun State Government has closed down two forest reserves in the state over some untoward activities.

The forest reserves are located at Irewole and Isokan local government councils of the state.

The Special Adviser to Governor on Forestry, Natural and Mineral Reserves, Prince Tunde Ajilore, who disclosed this to newsmen in Osogbo, said that there were series of illegalities, contravention and corruption being perpetrated in the two forest reserves by plank sellers association in the areas.

Ajilore said the closure was to ensure that loopholes were blocked and to also checkmate some illegal operations in the forestry sector.

According to him, some plank seller associations have continued to short-change the state and this had adversely affected the Internally Generated Revenues (IGR), with millions being carted away by the miscreants through illegal means.

He said: “The government had established series of meetings with the associations in the affected areas which at the end of the meetings, the miscreants still default and truncated the peace meetings.

“Some eminent personalities have intervened but the associations refused to listened to the voice of wisdom and embrace peace,” Ajilore said.

The SA further explained that the plank sellers have continue to attack some wood sellers in market places which had led to interventions of security agencies on several occasions to ensure that lives and properties were well protected in the interest of the people.

Ajilore noted that until there is dialogue and the plank sellers associations show remorseful over their illegal acts and also complied with the laws of the state, the government would not hesitate to deal with anyone found wanting.

In the same vein, Mrs Yemisi Adetipe, the State Task Force Officer in the Ministry, reiterated the SA’s stance, adding that the plank sellers were really short-changing Osun State Government.

She further explained that the Ministry had not gone against the revenue mobilization committee in collection of money as agreed with the associations.

According to her, those who preferred to break the laws of the land and willingly decided to continue with their illegalities would not escape the wrath of the laws.

Adetipe said the primary responsibility of the ministry was to mobilise revenues for the State in order to boast it’s IGR.

She therefore called on stakeholders in the sector to be calmed as the state government was on-top of the predicament.

Adetipe, however, urged the plank sellers associations carrying such illegal activities to desist and obey the laws of Osun that guide their activities or face the wrath of the laws.

It would be recalled that some plank sellers in Ikire, Irewole Local Government Area of the state, had on Thursday, staged a protest against multiple taxation and alleged extortion by agents of the state.

The protesters lamented that their businesses have suffered serious setbacks as a result of what they called â€˜fraudulent activitiesâ€ of government agents.