The Abia State Ministry of Environment has issued a directive instructing all individuals and companies engaged in activities within government forest reserves to immediately cease operations and report to the ministry for consultations and potential approvals.
This directive was conveyed in a press release signed by the Commissioner for Environment, Philemon Ogbonna, and circulated to the media in Umuahia, the capital of Abia State, over the past weekend.
The statement highlighted concerns raised by the ministry regarding instances of encroachment and unauthorized access into the forest reserves.
“As a result, all previous permissions granted by the Ministry of Environment for entry into any of the state’s forest reserves are hereby revoked,” the statement declared.
Furthermore, the ministry emphasized its steadfast dedication to safeguarding all forest reserves owned by the Abia State Government from illegal deforestation and activities by land encroachers.
