Group groan over Gov’t shut down of forests, multiple taxation by Agencies

By: Odieh Ramon, Yenagoa.

Due to the closure of all forests across the eight local government areas of Bayelsa State since January, 2025, a group under auspices of the Bayelsa timber dealers Association in the state are currently lamenting the ugly ordeal they are currently passing through as a result of the shut down of the forests as they have been chased out of their lucrative business for over eight months, saying the timber business predates the creation of Bayelsa state and it has been having harmonious relationship with past and present government.

Speaking to newsmen in Yenagoa, the President of Central Timber Dealers Association of Bayelsa State, a visibly angry Amos Lucky Erepadei noted that the decision to shut down the forests was suddenly taken by the state government without any justifiable reason and notification to the timber dealers in the state, stressing that the action has negatively affected over 85% of Bayelsans that are doing timber business for their day to day survival.” “This is one business where Bayelsa indigents have a comparative advantage, with little or non indigenous participation”

Amos Erepadei further pointed out that the timber business is a legitimate business all over the country, and Bayelsa State cannot be an exception, adding that they have been paying the stipulated amount of levy as taxes to the state government to show that they are law-abiding citizens doing their legitimate business in the state.

Because of this, the President of Central Timber Dealers Association in the state therefore noted with dismay why the state government would just go ahead and shut down the forests without any adequate provision for the people that are directly concerned and affected by the spontaneous action, appealing to Senator Douye Diri led prosperity administration in the state to consider the plight of the timbers dealers as the harsh economic realities in the state and country as a whole is taking an excruciating and militating toll and bitting hard on them.

“We are not doing illegal business and I see no reason why the state government will just wake up and suddenly place a ban on forestry activities without putting into consideration the negative impact the action is having on timber dealers across the state and we voted for this government during the election and shouldn’t pay us with bad coins”

“So we are pleading with the state government not to compound the harsh economic situation we are currently passing through with the sudden closure of the forests and their businesses “, he stressed.

According to him, his association which comprises all timber dealers in all the communities in the state were not invited to the recent public hearing that was held by the State House of Assembly on tree falling and other logging activities in the state, emphasizing that members of timber dealers association in the state felt cheated, under valued and treated with contempt basically because of the blunt refusal of the state law makers to extend invitation to them as regards a bill that concerns them directly. We got to hear that a bill on forestry had a public hearing without a critical group like us making inputs”

He equally noted that his association is supposed to work in conjunction with the state government as they currently contribute over 80% of the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), adding that the state is predominantly a civil service state without any visible company or industry that can pay taxes, shore up the state’s IGR and mop the teeming unemployed youths across the state.

In terms of employment generation, a member of the association who is also the chairman of All States Timber Dealers Association of Bayelsa State, Douglas Precious also stressed that timber business generates over 3,000 employment opportunities for Bayelsa youths in all the communities in the eight local government areas of the state, adding that if the ban on forestry activities continues, it can lead to unrest, crime and criminality among the youths in the state

In his words “There is no community without hoodlums but with the active and thriving timber and wood businesses in the state, it has gone a long way in drastically reducing crimes among the youths in the state because the youths are not idle but are engaged in various aspects and value chain of the business”

Douglas Precious lamented the non-challant attitude of the state government over the matter as all efforts to involve the state’s deputy governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrukjakpo to wade in and resolve the matter amicably have proved abortive, bemoaning the insensitivity of the state’s Commissioner for Environment, Ben Ololo as he had not done anything to ensure that the matter is laid to rest and thier businesses restored.” We have had many Commissioners of the Environment and worked harmoniously with them and are ready to work with the current Environment Commissioner”

He, however, stated that members of the central body of timber dealers across the entire state would be left with no other alternative other than to embark on a peaceful protest if their demands of resolving the issue and their businesses are not met.” While we also decry multiple taxation on our members by various revenue collection agencies, we also call on the state government to beam it’s searchlight on revenue collection agencies who are not remitting actual amount they generated to the government coffers, we have a lot information to reveal to the governor should he invite us to a round table discussion” “They also collected fees from us under disguise of planting more tress, can they prove how many tress they have planted since they have been collecting fees for planting of trees as they claimed”