Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State has warned residents to keep off the forests as the ban that his administration placed on tree cutting remains in place.
He also warned against illegal mining, reiterating that the relevant legal provisions against unauthorised mining would be applied against any identified violators.
Speaking on Saturday during the coronation of the newly appointed paramount ruler of Gombi, the Kumu 1 of Gombi, Agrey Ali, the governor charged the chief and all traditional rulers in the state to play their part in enforcing the ban against tree cutting and illegal mining.
The Fintiri administration had last year placed a ban on tree cutting for charcoal making, reiterating the harm that the act causes forestation efforts, just as the administration has always frowned at illegal mining which often manifests in even deaths of illegal miners.
Specifically addressing the coronation of the Kumu 1 of Gombi, the governor urged the new paramount ruler to bring to bear on his people his managerial skills acquired in his years as a top civil servant.
The Kumu 1 of Gombi who graduated from the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria with a degree in public administration, joined the Adamawa State civil service, rising through the ranks until he retired as a permanent secretary.
In his acceptance speech, the Gombi paramount chief said he would lead his people with due sense of responsibility.
“This is the coming of reality of a dream, the begining of new hope for the people of Gombi,” he said, promising, “As the Kumu 1, I pledge to be father to all.”
Mentioning some of the tribes which constitute or reside within the chiefdom and saluting them in their respective tongues, the Kumu 1 of Gombi said his leadership task would be made easy by the reality that although the people are diverse, they are united by a common zeal for development.