*Closes forest reserves over illegal activities
Osun State Government has denied alleged multiple taxation and extortion raised by plank dealers who staged a protest at Ikire, Irewole Local Government area recently.
The Special Adviser to Governor Rauf Aregbesola on Forestry, Natural and Mineral Reserves, Prince Tunde Ajilore debunked the allegations and explained that the plank dealers were perpetrating illegality in the government reserves.
He announced the closedown of two forest reserves at Irewole and Isokan Local Government areas as he lamented that plank dealers in the area contravened the law in the manner they were carrying out their business in the forest reserve.
According to him, some plank seller associations have continued to short-change the state, adding that it adversely affected the Internally Generated Revenues (IGR) with millions being carted away through illegal means.
“The government had established series of meetings with the associations in the affected regions which at the end of the meetings, they still defaulted and truncated the peace meetings,” he said.
The SA further explained that the plank dealers have continue to attack some wood sellers in market places which had led to interventions of security agencies on several occasions to ensure that lives and properties are well protected in the interest of the people.
Ajilore noted that until there is dialogue and the plank dealers associations complied with the laws of the state, the government would not hesitate to ensure the forest reserve remain closed.
