Nigeria's daily firewood consumption stands at 266 million kg., the Chairman, Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology, Bukola Saraki, said on Wednesday in Abuja.

Mr. Saraki said this at the unveiling of the "Face of the Earth Africa (FOTEA)'' to commemorate the 2013 World Environmental Day, which has as its theme "Think, Eat and Save''.

The senator said such consumption was too enormous for the country's forests to bear, and could lead to deforestation which could also be dangerous for the uplift of the economy.

"In our context as a nation, it is obvious that our environment has been stretched and continues to be degraded mostly by our activities and choices.

"From the increasing desertification impacting on the North from the Sahel belt, to the massive gully erosion in the East and the coastal erosion in the West, to the oil spill degradation in the South-South, it is pertinent to state that much of this degradation has been made worse,'' Mr. Saraki said.

He explained that the National Assembly was working with the Ministry of Environment to introduce and promote the use of clean cooking stoves.

"This will be a viable alternative to felling trees for fuel, and will help to reduce the level of deforestation,'' the senator said.

He said the National Assembly had initiated bills and motions to keep tackling oil spills, desertification and erosion challenges.

"We have taken up the fight to save our environment through proactive legislative interventions and advocacy. We have visited sites and fields to ensure that those who have spilled oil on our environment do the necessary cleaning up,'' he said.

Mr. Saraki said also that the Federal Government had assisted Zamfara to clean up and repair Bagega Village as a result of the impact of lead poisoning in the area.

He added that the National Assembly would collaborate with relevant government and private agencies to promote more environment-friendly practices to maintain and increase food production.

(NAN)