Gov. Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, on Thursday declared war against charcoal business and indiscriminate felling of trees in the state.

Mr Mohammed made the declaration in Bauchi at the 2023 Annual Tree Planting Campaign organised by the State Ministry of Housing and Environment.

Mr Mohammed, who lamented the activities of loggers in the state, said the level at which they operated with carte blanche was highly worrisome.

He said that tree planting remained very relevant and the way to go for sustainable development.

“We need to come together and fight for our survival. We need to take back our environment, we need to assure our future generations that we want to live and that humanity is here to survive.

“We will not close our eyes and leave anybody, no matter how highly placed, to devastate our environment.

“From today, we have declared war against charcoal business and those felling trees anyhow in Bauchi State,” Mr Mohammed said.

The governor directed government officials, particularly commissioners, caretaker chairmen and councillors as well as district and village heads to engage in tree-planting competitions in their communities.

Earlier, the state commissioner for housing and environment, Danlami Kawule, said that planting trees would not only beautify the environment but also contribute effectively to the fight against climate change.

“The simple act of planting a tree may seem small, but collectively, it has a tremendous impact.

“Each tree we plant helps to combat carbon emissions, reduce soil erosion, and create habitats for countless species,” the commissioner said.

He explained that the tree planting exercise was for a roadside plantation that would cover a distance of 12.6km from Miri village to Mobile Roundabout in Bauchi Town with three rows of trees on both sides.

(NAN)