The Ogun House of Assembly has called for effective management of forest reserves in the state in order to safeguard agricultural and industrial resources.
Mr Sylvester Abiodun, the Chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, made the call during an assessment and budget monitoring visit to the State Forestry Plantation Project in Ijebu East Local Government Area of the state.
Abiodun called on the state government to urgently put in place measures toward resuscitating the rich potentials of forest reserves with a view to promoting ecotourism.
Condemning the porous nature of the reserves, the chairman urged the management of the forest reserve to take proactive measures at ensuring effective security to protect economic trees.
He also advised the management team to improve the revenue base of the reserve while ensuring holistic deployment of more forest guards.
The project Manager of the reserve, Mr Waheed Adebosin, said that the 676.2 square metres of agricultural facility required facility upgrade.
He said that the upgrade would maintain the fast-growing reserve for industrial usage and ecosystem preservation.
Adebosin added that N34 million was generated between January and June from road taxes, contractor registration fee and earnings from a plantation scheme, plants and equipment.
By Abiodun Lawal
