In a bid to lift the subsisting export ban on charcoal, 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 journalists by Mr. Adesola Idowu, the spokesperson of the group and its legal representative, Barrister Florence Jones-Idowu on Sunday.

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Some of the requests made by the group which is made up of 69 independent companies, to the federal government includes allowing duly certified charcoal exporters to export charcoal in Nigeria and for it to interface with the government to designate forest reserves 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 percent of the charcoal exported  from Nigeria on duly registered commercial forest only.

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.