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KANO — The Kano State Government over the weekend ordered an immediate halt to unauthorized tree felling within the premises of Abubakar Rimi Television (ARTV), reaffirming its commitment to environmental protection and climate change mitigation.
The directive was issued by the Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Comrade Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, during an unscheduled visit to the state-owned television station.
The commissioner said he was disturbed by a viral video showing the indiscriminate cutting of trees within the station’s premises, describing the action as inconsistent with the government’s environmental policy.
“Felling of trees within the premises of the station must stop immediately,” Waiya said.
“The action runs contrary to the government’s policy on climate change and environmental sustainability.”
He warned that no tree should henceforth be cut within the facility without obtaining official approval from the appropriate authorities.
According to him, any future decision to remove trees must follow due consultation with relevant government agencies.
“Any tree cutting within the premises must be done with official permission after due consultation with officials of the relevant government agency,” the commissioner stated.
Waiya emphasized that trees and other natural resources play a critical role in environmental conservation and should not be destroyed indiscriminately.
“The depletion of natural resources such as trees has serious implications for the environment, which should not be encouraged,” he said.
“We must all contribute towards protecting our ecosystem for future generations.”
The commissioner noted that the administration of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf remains committed to policies that promote environmental responsibility alongside sustainable development across the state.
During the visit, Waiya also interacted with the management of ARTV and stressed the need for prudent management of public assets, transparency and accountability in the utilization of resources.
Responding, the Deputy Managing Director of ARTV, Malam Idris Abba Musa, acknowledged some of the challenges facing the station and assured the commissioner of the management’s commitment to addressing operational concerns.
