By Fatima Muraina

The Ondo State Government has contracted a private firm, God Lovely Nigeria Enterprise, to collect fines on all illegal structures within the state’s forest reserves.

This initiative is part of the government’s efforts to regulate and monitor farming activities at the reserves.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (Forestry/Produce Sub-sector), Chief Olusegun Odusanya, while addressing forest farmers in Akure, stated that the state government has enacted a policy to enumerate and impose fines on illegal structures erected within state-owned forest reserves.

Odusanya in a statement by the Head of Publicity and Media Relations, of the Ministry Mr. Sola Omoboyowa, noted that Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has generously allowed farmers to carry out farming activities in the forest, provided they abide by government regulations under strict supervision.

This he said contrasts with past administrations, which demolished illegal structures and cocoa plantations in the reserves.

He clarified that the tariff applies only to existing structures, emphasizing that the policy strictly prohibits the construction of new illegal structures. He also warned that severe sanctions would be imposed on anyone found violating this policy.“The state government intends to collect data on farmers operating in the forest, necessitating their registration with the government’s consultant.

The consultant will also register illegal structures and collect fines. It is a fine because erecting structures in the reserves is illegal, but our compassionate governor has decided otherwise.”

Commending Governor Aiyedatiwa for halting the demolition of structures in the forest, Odusanya reiterated that God Lovely Nigeria Enterprise is the only approved government consultant responsible for registering illegal structures and collecting fines within the forest reserves.“