Governor Bassey Otu
By Anietie Akpan
Cross River state government has relaxed measures on its recent order shutting down wood logging activities in the state.
The Governor, Senator Bassey Otu, had on June 20 in a statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Anthony Owan Enoh suspended further logging activities in the state and security agencies were directed “to arrest offenders and confiscate any logs and machinery deployed thereto”.
However, the state government in another press statement dated June 25 and signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Comrade Nsa Gill, said, “pursuant to our Press Release dated 20th June, 2024, and sequel to a thorough review of the situation on ground, it is the directives of His Excellency that the following be adhered to:
“A window period from June 27 to July 14, 2024, is granted for the evacuation of :- All outstanding wood paid for; Wood in transit and Wood at gantries”.
The government therefore directed, “dealers with the above pending issue(s) are to visit Forestry Zonal Offices in Calabar, Ikom and Ogoja with all relevant documents for verification, clearance, and evacuation of their wood”.
