By Adeboye Ado
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As the harmattan season begins, residents of the Akoko area in Ondo State, a savannah region, have raised concerns over the rampant practice of indiscriminate bush burning.
The annual menace, according to the residents, has consistently resulted in the destruction of property and economic crops.
While speaking with The Hope, one of the residents, Mr. Sunday Omogboye, a cashew farmer from Ikakumo in the Akoko North-East Local Government area, lamented his repeated losses due to yearly infernos, describing the situation as devastating.
Omogboye, who appealed to the public to desist from this harmful practice, said he had recorded significant losses on his farm.
“I can’t even quantify the amount I have lost as people keep burning bushes in search of animals. The government should quickly rescue us before these people set houses on fire.
“It is very sad that when they set bushes on fire, these boys flee immediately after they discover that the inferno is wreaking havoc.”
Similarly, Mrs. Florence Adamolekun, a farmer from Okeagbe Akoko and Secretary of the Akoko North-West Local Government Farmers’ Congress, highlighted the need for stricter enforcement of laws prohibiting indiscriminate bush burning.
She called for culprits to be treated as economic saboteurs to deter further occurrences.
“Governor Aiyedatiwa has done well, and we are proud of him, but we want him to strengthen the capacity of the state fire service to respond effectively to fire disasters, particularly during the harmattan period.”
In her reaction, the Regent of Okele Quarters in Akungba-Akoko, Princess Abolarin, urged stakeholders in various communities to inform residents about the dangers of indiscriminate bush burning.
“Many of our fathers have lost their cocoa plantations to indiscriminate bush burning. Many can no longer go to their farms anymore.
“Apart from stakeholders who should step up the campaign against bush burning, we want the government to enact laws to curb the menace.”