Illegal mining in Taraba:Gen Faransa gives highlights on Special Task Force mandate.
From Daniel Mtindiga, Jalingo
Chairman, Special Task Force on environmental protection, public safety and prohibition of deforestation of trees in Taraba State, Brig. Gen. Jeremiah Faransa (RTD) has highlighted the mandate of the Special Task Force regarding activities of illegal mining and deforestation activities in the state.
He gave the highlights today while briefing Press in Jalingo, the Taraba state capital on the progress and activities of illegal mining and deforestation in the state.
He said, “I can remember vividly last year, His Excellency, Dr. Agbu Kefas set up a committee called, Special Task Force comprising all Security Agencies in the state with a Mobile Court attached.
“Our mandate was just to arrest and handover to the Mobile Court for prosecution so, we segmented the operation into phases.
“Phase one was just sensitization and awareness. We went round the sixteen local government areas of the state and met with traditional rulers, Council chairmen among others and informed them about the mandate of the Governor and after that, we went round all the mining sites in the state.
“We started another phase which is read and arrest. We have gone to places like Akwana, Anfu, Abuja leather, Dongon yasu, Bachama among several other sites and the level of destruction done to these areas cannot be imagined.
He however disclosed his plans to embark on a journey with the Press so they can see things for themselves.
“I am planning so we can go on a small journey so you can see things for yourselves. When you see things for yourselves I think, your orientation will change about what is happening in the state.
“The state has been destroyed by illegal mining. We made a lot of arrest and many of them are been prosecuted including foreigners with expired visas within the state.”
Gen. Faransa further decried the level of deforestation in the state, stressing that the level of destruction of forests is so massive that today, Madrid which is one of the best and only found in Taraba state is gone.
“I have been to our forests reserves, we have over twenty two (22) of them in the state but on a sad note, all those forests reserves have been destroyed. Our operation basically is on environmental protection and public safety of our people.” he said.
He stated that, the taskforce is trying to discourage desert encroachment in Taraba state, adding that climate change and global warming are real phenomenons and are here in the state.
“Climate change is real and global warming is real. This year August, there was no rain in Taraba all our crops were destroyed by the scorching sun but in previous years by August, we usually start harvesting our crops.
“We have done a lot of recommendations. We have over thirty recommendations and one of them is for the state to embark on tree planting ranging from the LGAs, institutions and even individuals,if that is not done in the next five years, i am afraid, Taraba will be worse than what we are witnessing in terms of desert encroachment and its impact will largely affect everyone” He said.
