Southwest Governors on Saturday adopted the decision by the National Economic Council on forest ownership and management across the countr...
Southwest Governors on Saturday adopted the decision by the
National Economic Council on forest ownership and management across the
country.
Rising from a security meeting in the Oyo State Government
House in Ibadan, the Chairman of the South-West Governors Forum and Governor of
Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, told journalists that in line with NEC position,
all the states should be in charge of their forests.
They also agreed that stronger measures must be taken to tighten security around border areas to stop the incursion of foreign herdsmen.
The meeting also deliberated on the need for government to
support cattle breeding and other agricultural production, and resolved that
government must help with enablers to discourage open grazing across the
country.
“We believe that all the states should be in a position to
manage their forests,” Akeredolu said. “And that will give enough room to
determine who and who are there, what purpose are they serving, and where you
have people there illegally, the state should be able to take some steps, so
that we can preserve our forests.”
Buhari’s Aide Absent
From Meeting
The meeting had been scheduled at the instance of the Chief
of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari.
But Prof Gambari was absent, as he could not fly out of
Abuja due to bad weather.
Also, absent for the same reason were the Inspector General
of Police, Mohammed Adamu, and the Director-General of the Department of State
Services, Yusuf Bichi.
The meeting had in attendance five governors including the
host, Governor Makinde; Governors Akeredolu of Ondo, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti,
Gboyega Oyetola of Osun, and Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State.
The meeting equally had in attendance the Deputy Inspector
General of Police in charge of South-West, David Folawiyo, and security chiefs
serving in Oyo State.
Others included the chairmen of Council of Traditional
Rulers in each of the South-West states and some first-class monarchs.
According to Akeredolu, the meeting was held to find lasting
solutions to the lingering security issues in the zone.
Some of the traditional rulers who took part in the meeting
include the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III; Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi;
Akarigbo of Remo, Oba Babatunde Ajayi; Olugbo of Ugbo kingdom, Oba Fredrick
Akinruntan; Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Saliu Adetunji, Aje Ogungunnjso 1; and
Olugbon of Orile Igbon, Oba Francis Olusola Alao.
Also in attendance were the Oyo State Commissioner of
Police, Ngozi Onadeko, and other heads of security agencies in Oyo State.
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