Allocate more budget to forestry department, University don tasks governments
The Dean, School of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, OAUSTECH, Okitipupa, Prof. Opoola Faleyimu, has stressed the need for all the three tiers of governments in Nigeria, to allocate more funds towards the development of forestry department in Nigeria. saying the move would help in enhancing the country’s economic development.
Professor Faleyimu, a lecturer in the Department of Forestry, Wildlife and Environmental Management, School of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, in the OAUSTECH Okitipupa, made the statement, at the weekend while delivering the 9th Inaugural lecture of the University.
Speaking on the theme of the lecture tagged “Forest Policy in the Midst of Politics ” the University don described forest policy as a direction for forestry development in Nigeria, he added forestry management can be realised if forest policy objectives are faithfully implemented by the government it will achieve target objectives.
Harping on the need for more attention to be given to the development of forest policy in the country, the Professor of Forest Policy and Economics, said this was necessary because “ Apart from increasing annual budgetary allocation to forestry, foreign fund equally needs to be mobilised by government to support conservation and other programmes like afforestation and reforestation”
While expressing serious concern about the challenges facing the development of forest policy in the country, Prof Faleyimu attributed the problem to high level of corruption among government officials, inadequate information from the policymakers and lack of complementary rules by all forestry stakeholders in the forestry affairs.
On challenges facing the development of forestry policy in Nigeria, the University Don listed weak legal system to regulate behaviour in the case of forest resources, encroachment, illegal felling of trees in the forest reserves , poverty, inadequate finance, political instability, ineffective supervision of forest resources among others.
As a way of addressing the problem, Prof. Faleyimu listed measures that could be taken to include proper coordination between the Federal and State Governments in terms of policy implementation, better remuneration of workers and provision of appropriate equipment to ensure effective management and enforcement of policy to mention a few
Other recommendations mentioned by the lecturer include economic incentives for local communities around protected areas with the aim of reducing encroachment, the need for closer interaction between public and private sectors for joint or collaborative forest management and basic education for all farmers and communities with regards to conservation, noted that such education could as well be introduced to the secondary school curriculum.
Earlier in his address, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Temi Ologunorisa, who was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Academic and Research, Prof. Foluso Adetuyi, described the theme of the lecture as apt and timely.
He expressed concerned about the state of the Nigeria economy in the last two years, a development he said has brought “general slowdown of economic activities, high inflation, extreme poverty and high rate of unemployment and stated that there was need for the government to take urgent step, in order to address the situation.
As a way of tackling the problem, Prof. Ologunorisa charged policy makers in the country , especially those in the field of forestry to give more attention to the development of forest policy, saying the move would help in securing economic prosperity for the country in the nearest future.
He commended the lecturer and expressed optimism that the recommendations of the lecture would proffer solution to the economic problem confronting the forestry development in the nation.
The University helmsman equally stressed the need for government at all levels in Nigeria to implement policies that would encourage more developed of forestry policy with the views of making forestry become job creators and contributors to country’s growth and societal stability.
The programme held at the auditorium of the University in its main campus located along Igbokoda highway was attended by lecturers from various departments in the institution, students as well as friends and family of the lecturer among others.