The Kogi State Government has commenced the process of recruiting 100 forest guards to stop illegal cutting down of trees in the state.

The state’s Commissioner of Environment and Natural Resources, Rosemary Osikoya, who disclosed this on Tuesday in Lokoja said the guards would be recruited in four different stages.

She pointed out that, “The first stage is the submission of applications which has ended on Dec. 23, while the second stage is the screening and interview of all candidates, scheduled to hold from Dec. 28 to Dec. 30.

“The interviewed and shortlisted candidates will then be subjected to another interview by the Special Adviser and Law enforcement agents from Jan. 4 to Jan. 5, 2017, where the potential forest guards would have a policing/security function.

“The final stage is the publication of the final list of the successful candidates, and thereafter, letters of appointments would be issued,” the commissioner said.

“God willing, all the processes are to be concluded by the second week of January 2017.”

Osikoya added that the minimum requirement for the job is Secondary School Certificate with credit in Agriculture/Biology, noting that a higher school certificate in both Agriculture and Biology related course (not ND or higher qualifications) would be an advantage.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives is currently investigating allegations that Chinese nationals are causing deforestation by engaging in tree-cutting is some states, including Kogi and illegally exporting woods out of the country.

An ad hoc committee chaired by Bede Uchenna-Eke said on December 15 that the act was a major factor contributing to the fast depleting forest reserves in the country and the negative impact on the environment.

An investigation published bywww.icirnigeria.org on January 18, 2016 detailed how corruption by local officials and sharp practices by Chinese businessmen drive a thriving illegal trade in timber from Nigeria and a large part of West Africa with grave consequences for the economy, ecosystem and the environment.

The report titled, “How China Fuels Deforestation In Nigeria, West Africa” revealed that in many states, including Kogi, Ekiti, Ondo, Ogun, Taraba, Kaduna, Adamawa and Cross River, a rapacious demand by China for an ornate species of wood, rosewood (Pterocarpus erinaceus), locally known as Kosso, has, since late 2013, fuelled an unprecedented frenzy of illegal logging of wood that is fast depleting the nation’s natural forestry resources.