The Taraba State Government, through its Task Force on Environmental Protection, Public Safety, and Land Degradation Prohibition, has highlighted desert encroachment and other environmental challenges as key reasons behind its intensified crackdown on tree burning for charcoal production.
Amidst rising costs of charcoal in the state, this effort to prevent the illegal felling of trees has sparked concern among residents. Some families report that the restrictions have added to household hardships, especially given the high cost of cooking gas and fuel.
General Jeremiah Faransa, chairman of the task force, acknowledged these challenges but reaffirmed the government’s commitment to regulating the unlawful removal of economically valuable trees. Faransa disclosed that a well-organised cartel has been exploiting local forests by burning trees for charcoal, which is then exported outside the state, leading to economic and environmental losses.
“Charcoal is now an export item from Taraba State, and we must address the loggers’ actions,” Faransa said, noting that those involved in cutting trees will now be required to replant. He also pointed out that, while charcoal sells for ₦4,500 in Jalingo, it is resold in Abuja for as much as ₦12,000, benefiting primarily the cartel.
Faransa further stated that the government is working on alternative solutions to alleviate the strain on residents, aiming to provide sustainable options beyond charcoal. He clarified that the state’s stance is not against the use of firewood for cooking but against the unrestrained destruction of economic trees, a practice that threatens both the environment and the state’s natural resources.