Anambra State Government said it will reclaim all forest reserved areas.
The Head, Forestry and Wildlife Department, Anambra State Ministry of Environment, Mrs Onyinye Achugamonye, announced this in Awka, during a walk to mark the 2022 International Day of Forests, also disclosed that government would ensure that those who engage in illegal deforestation activities are prosecuted.
Mrs Achugamonye pointed out that on the International Day of Forests, countries are encouraged to undertake local, national and international efforts to organize activities involving forests and trees, such as tree-planting campaigns.
She informed that the walk is to spread the message down to the people on the negative effects of deforestation, tasking the people to ensure that they plant at least two trees whenever they cut down any.
Adding his voice, a Forest Officer in charge of Nnewi Forest Reserve in the Ministry, Mr. Nonso Onuigbo, spoke on the impact of the sun on the environment due to enormous felling of trees, noting that deforestation and lack of interest in afforestation have so much affected the preservation of forest in the state.
He called for the recruitment of more manpower to assist the department in sensitizing the populace.
The founder, Green Environment and Climate Change Initiative, Miss Mmachukwu Obidike, and a staff of the Ministry, Mrs Ifeoma Onuzulike, called on the state government, community stakeholders and religious leaders to show more concern by helping to pass the message across, on the implications of deforestation and need to protect the forest.
They blamed Real Estate companies and developers for the exploitation of trees, stating that, eighty per cent of things used to come from the forest and as such deserve better care.
United Nations General Assembly on November 28, 2012, approved the 21st March every year as the International Day of Forests to raise awareness on the importance of all types of forests.
The theme for this year’s celebration is “History and Significance” while Anambra State has as its theme, “Ecosystem Restoration”.
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