Kwara prohibits charcoal sale

By Umar Bayo Abdulwahab
Ilorin

Kwara state government yesterday announced the ban of the sale of charcoal in the state, saying that the law prohibiting its production and sale was still in place.

The ban was announced by the Commissioner for Environment and Forestry, Alhaji Abubakar Mora, at a meeting held with the state Charcoal Production and Marketers Association in the state.

He reminded them that section one of the Charcoal Production Prohibition Law of 2005 stated that “whoever produces charcoal in any part of the state is guilty of an offence and liable to a fine of N50, 000 or imprisonment for a year.”
He directed the forestry department of the ministry to commence the arrest of violators and stressed the need for adequate awareness of the forestry law in the state.

He warned that anyone who failed to comply with the directive would face the wrath of the law, adding that any member caught selling charcoal would be dealt with according to the law.
The commissioner warned the association members to desist from hiding under the protection of traditional ruler in order to carry out unlawful acts.