Assessment of Forest Investment, Financial Flows and Revenue Collection in the Abia State Forest Sector, Nigeria

Abstract

Varieties of resources abound in the forests of Nigeria and especially in Abia state, an economic treasure house of resources. Sustainable management of the forests in Nigeria is crucial for a consistent supply of forest resources. Ten forest reserves were surveyed to determine the extent of the government’s involvement in sustainable forest management in Abia State. The government consider the forest reserves, as a revenue-generating venture, leading to the excessive exploitation of forest resources in the state. The exploitation is without regard for sustainability as the harvest is consistently higher than its growth. The government’s involvement in funding the forestry sector over these years has been the payment of salaries to staff of the State forestry department and revenue collection, while international donors, corporate organizations and private sectors have not considerably invested in the Abia State forest sector. The survey revealed the challenges militating the productivity of the forest sector in Abia State, namely: inadequate capital, administrative incompetence and bureaucratic bottleneck, political instability, ecological challenge, insufficient skilled personnel, corruption, lack of forest equipment and inefficient forest laws. Training should be organized for the forest staff and communities to ensure the sustainable use of forest resources. There is a need for the modernization of forestry practice in Abia State and all that go with it being accorded a well-deserved priority in the present economic dispensation in Nigeria.

Appraisal of Challenges to Sustainable Forest Management in Abia State, Nigeria

“…Sustainable forest management is the use of forests and forest lands in a way, and at a rate, that maintains their biodiversity, productivity, regeneration capacity, vitality, and their potential to fulfill, now and in the future, relevant ecological, economic and social functions, at local, national, and global levels, and without causing damage to other ecosystems [3]. The sustainable management of the forests in Nigeria is crucial for a consistent supply of forest resources for the present and posterity [4]. Varieties of resources abound in the forests of Nigeria and especially in Abia State and they include soil and its mineral deposits, water sources, rock, outcrops, rare landscapes and, in the biological sense, plant and animals in all their various forms.…”

“…Egu et al [4], recently reported some approaches for forest management adopted by the Abia State government in managing State forest reserves which present the need and pathway to potential investment and studies on financial flows. Abia State has 19 forest reserves comprising of four (4) are natural forest reserves and fifteen (15) plantation forest reserves.…”

“…Furthermore, information on private investment by institutional investors, commercial banks and export credit agencies is not available and neither is it known how much the Non-governmental organization (NGO) and philanthropy sector contributes to forest financing. On the other hand, it is believed that Abia State forestry sector receives financial assistance either through grant or loan from other institutions (foreign and/or local), bodies, NGOs, development partners and even individuals [4]. This current study was carried out to specifically examine the yearly budgetary allocation and their respective programmes executed as well as identify problems militating against forest administration for sustainable development over the period of 10 years with an aim to suggest possible solutions for sustainable forest management in Abia State, Nigeria.…”