Governor Agbu Kefas of Taraba State has dissolved the Special Taskforce on Environmental Protection.
The taskforce, which was led by Brigadier General J.A. Faransa, Rtd, was on Wednesday directed to wind up its activities and submit its reports and recommendations to the office of the Secretary to the State Government.
Signed by the Permanent Secretary to the SSG, Mrs. Jemimah Nwunuji, a notice to that effect said environmental enforcement will now fall under the jurisdiction of the state’s 16 local government councils.
“The council chairmen will be responsible for ensuring compliance with environmental regulations within their territories,” the SSG said.
Meanwhile, some persons who expressed happiness over the dissolution, argued that the actions, particularly the crackdown on charcoal use, had worsened living conditions for the poor.
The taskforce, which was originally set up to combat illegal activities harming the environment, became controversial after its enforcement led to the destruction of mining equipment worth billions of naira in the Akwana community of Wukari council.