RESIDENTS WARNED AGAINST FARMING & FELLING OF TREES AT MILLIKEN HILL VALLEY

Enugu State Government has been called to reintroduce forest guards to forestall indiscriminate felling of trees and further protect the environment.

The people of Enugu Ngwo in Enugu North Local Government Area of Enugu State made the call during a tree planting campaign by the youths of the community to safeguard the degenerating terrain of the Milliken Hill Forest.

Built many decades ago by the colonial masters, the Milliken Hill road was among the foremost roads that linked Enugu, Onitsha and other western parts of the country.

The road is presently serving as an alternative route to the deteriorated Ugwu Onyeama axis of the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway. Unfortunately, some portions of the winding Milliken Hill road collapsed recently while some other portions were said to be immobile as a result of degradation.

Worried by the ugly development, the people of Enugu Ngwo embarked on massive tree planting to reduce erosion and effects of flooding. The President-General of Enugu Ngwo General Assembly, Mr. John Enwu while condemning the illegal activities such as farming, felling of trees for timber and firewood  at the Milliken Hill Valley warned that encroachers would henceforth be apprehended and handed over to law enforcement agents.

Mr. Enwu stated that the State Forestry Department had promised to provide Gmelina tree seedlings.

In a remark at the event, the Youth Council Chairman of the community, Mr. Anthony Orji appealed to the State Government to reintroduce forest rangers to protect the forest. An indigene of the community, Mr. Charles Onoh explained that nine age grades were participating in the on-going tree planting exercise. Mr. Onoh expressed the hope that the campaign would go a long way in salvaging the road from further collapse.

OKEY EZEONA