In a bid towards lifting the subsisting ban on charcoal exportation, exporters in the charcoal value chain has called on the federal ministry of Environment and other relevant agencies to verify, audit, endorse and accredit its traceability system.
This request was contained in a memo made available to reporters by Mr. Adesola Idowu, the spokesperson of the group and its legal representative, Florence Jones-Idowu on Sunday.
The group which is made up of 69 independent companies have also voluntarily pledged an oath to the Minister of Environment.
Some of the prayers made to the federal government includes: allowing duly certified charcoal exporters to export charcoal in Nigeria and for it to interface with the federation to designate forest reserve to the charcoal export legality and compliance group to commence annual reforestation and enrichment in forest reserve parks for beautification and landscaping of roads.
It also called on the government at all levels to consider a 10 year window for all compliant charcoal exporters to produce 100% of the charcoal exported from Nigeria on duly registered commercial forest only.
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Buttressing why government should lift the ban on charcoal export, Jones-Idowu, stated that the Charcoal industry accounts for about 10,501,885 jobs ranging from highly skilled, medium and low skilled labour to professional services such as employment in shipping lines, freight forwarders, haulage companies, transporters, drivers, processors, loaders, dealers, producers, exporters, managers and executives to name a few who have been rendered redundant.
She added that charcoal is used for industrial purposes such as metal purification, gas mask, metal extraction, cosmetics, carbon black for printers, ink, pens, amongst others and medical purposes such as anti- poisoning, to treat drug addicts, for tooth paste just to name a few and it is also used for food purposes such as carbonated drinks, heating, grilling and many more.
The group expressed optimism that government would implement its action memo presented for consideration to the 15th national council on environment.
It has however been revealed that the committee set up by the Minister of Environment has been given a three weeks mandate to submit their report on Traceability and set up a national standard for Nigeria charcoal export.