Worried by the devastation caused by climate change and its associated impact on the environment, the Kano State government has declared an immediate ban on tree felling in the state.
Subsequently, the government banned all activities involving loggers and chainsaws for tree trimming, a deliberate measure to protect the environment from deforestation equally.
The government imposed a N500,000 fine, confiscation and possible imprisonment for operating chainsaws without a licence and/or N250,000 per tree, replanting orders, and confiscation for violation of order.
Declaring the ban at a press briefing on Tuesday, Commissioner for Environment and Climate Change, Dr. Dahiru Muhammad Hashim, said the decision takes immediate effect.
The commissioner explained the ministry’s powers to regulate forestry, manage climate change impacts, and enforce penalties for violations, and emphasised that government action is intentional in safeguarding community livelihood.
Dr. Hashim emphasised provisions of various sections of the law and Act empowering the government, including Section 20 of the 1999 Constitution, NESREA Act, 2007, and the National Environmental Regulations 2014 on tree cutting and charcoal production.
To ensure proper regulation against indiscriminate acts, the commissioner revealed that the government is introducing the Chainsaw Usage Permit Framework (CUPF).
According to him, the government is enforcing registration of all commercial chainsaw operators and logging businesses. He said henceforth, a permit will only be issued to the operator after inspection and verification.
The commissioner added that, after certification, operators will be compelled to replace two or three new saplings as part of the reforestation plan. He posited that fees collected from operators will be used to fund replanting and a climate resilience program.
