By Frank Ulom
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Cross River State Forestry Commission, Rt. Hon. George O’ben-Etchi, has highlighted the successful restoration of 15 hectares of degraded mangrove forest in coastal communities of southern Cross River State under the UK PACT–FAO Project on Integrated Management of Mangrove Ecosystems and Expansion of Social Protection for Fisheries and Forest Dependents.
O’ben-Etchi disclosed this while presenting the project highlights at the UK PACT Project Results Dissemination Workshop held in Abuja, on Tuesday, where stakeholders gathered to review and showcase the outcomes of the initiative.
According to him, the project recorded significant environmental, social and institutional gains during its implementation in Cross River State, with mangrove restoration emerging as one of its major achievements.
He noted that mangrove ecosystems play a critical role in biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation, shoreline protection and the sustenance of livelihoods for fishing and forest-dependent communities.
“In Cross River State, the project successfully restored 15 hectares of degraded mangrove forest within the coastal communities of Southern Cross River State,” he said.
The Forestry Commission chairman also highlighted the socio-economic benefits of the intervention, stating that it empowered local communities through capacity-building programmes, climate-smart practices, alternative livelihood initiatives and social protection measures targeted at vulnerable households.
He said particular attention was given to women and youths, who benefited from interventions designed to improve livelihoods and strengthen resilience to environmental and economic challenges.
O’ben-Etchi further explained that the project enhanced collaboration among government agencies, development partners, community stakeholders and traditional institutions, creating a more participatory framework for natural resource management.
He said the achievements demonstrated that environmental conservation and economic empowerment could be pursued simultaneously to promote sustainable development.
“The project delivered significant ecological, social and institutional benefits, demonstrating that environmental conservation can go hand in hand with economic empowerment and community development,” he stated.
The Forestry Commission boss expressed appreciation to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the UK PACT Programme, the Cross River State Government led by Governor Bassey Edet Otu, and other stakeholders for their support towards the successful implementation of the project.
He called for stronger partnerships, increased investment in nature-based solutions and the replication of similar interventions in other environmentally sensitive areas to enhance climate resilience and ensure sustainable development across the country.