Governor Bassey Otu
By Anietie Akpan
Cross River state government has commenced the process of rescuing and protecting her pristine vast rain forest to end the nefarious activities of illegal loggers in the state.
Accordingly, bills on climate change action that may become laws if passed, are before the State House of Assembly.
Findings by Pillar Today showed that large chunk of the virgin 33,600-hectare community tropical rainforest in old and New Ekuri of Akamkpa Local Government Area (LGA) of the state that hitherto served as the flagship of conservation in the state is on daily basis being depleted by illegal loggers as Environmentalists have said for now only 40 percent of Ekuri Community forest is remaining.
In Okuni, another Cross River Forest community in Ikom LGA, is ravaged by ecological crisis following the activities of some unknown Chinese firm and some locals. The forest in Etung and Boki LGAs are not spared.
The Cross River Okpon Forest Reserve is gone while the Cross River National Park is seriously threatened.
All these illegal leggings by some national and international companies (especially from China) have thrived unabated with the connivance of some locals despite the fight or efforts of some non governmental organizations like Worthy Association for Tackling Environmental Ruins (WATER), led by Chief Edwin Ogar; Panacea for Developmental and Infrastructural Challenges for Africa Initiative (PADIC-AFRICA), with Dr. Martins Egot as its Executive Director; the Rainforest Resource and Development Centre (RRDC), headed by Prince Odey Oyama as the Executive Director and others.
Poised to reverse this embarrassing trend, ensure sustainability, and draw some financial benefits, the State Governor, Senator Bassey Otu in a media Parley\dinner with journalists in the state on Thursday to commemorate his one year In office, announced that some forest management strategies and measures are being put in place.
To this end, Otu said, “Executive Bills for the mainstreaming of Climate Change Action and the establishment of Cross River State Council on Climate Change are before the State House of Assembly for consolidation.
“Besides, another bill that seeks to ensure that the state draws some financial benefits among other incentives, from its greenery through the establishment of the Cross River State Green Economy Commission is also receiving due attention on the floor of the State Assembly”.
He warned that, “the lifting of the ban on wood logging is never a license for unsustainable exploitation of our forest. The State Forestry Commission is therefore mandated to go after the so called “Green Millionaires” in their self-referencing method of illegal exploitation of the State forest resources for their selfish enrichment. This un-wholesome practice must stop including other avenues of revenue leakages in our green economy”.
As part of efforts to protect the forest, the governor on Thursday flagged off the UNESCO OBAN BIOSPHERE RESERVE Project at the Cross River State National Park office, Akamkpa and “this is a global recognition of our State’s environment consciousness posture”, he said.
On the State ecotourism flagship the Obudu Ranch Resort, Governor Otu stated that an “approval has been given to relevant investors to revamp the Dairy Farm, while 3D Digital Survey of the Ranch Resort has been completed. The near-moribund Marina Resort has also been resuscitated and the burnt section of KADA Cinema restored. The ongoing urban renewal and beautification will be sustained”
