A Non governmental organisation, “We The People ” has informed the Cross River State Governor-elect, Senator Bassey Otu, that the activities of illegal loggers is exacerbating insecurity in the state.
The leader of the organisation, Ken Henshaw, made this known in Calabar through an open letter sent to the governor-elect on strategies for protecting the Cross River forests and reversing the negative trends.
Henshaw faulted the present moratorium on deforestation in the state instituted in 2008 saying the policy has failed in protecting the state’s forests.
“In several communities, loggers and timber dealers establish their trading posts close to the forest and form trade unions to regulate the business.
“Illegal trade in timber has excerbated insecurity in the state and the state has seen the emergence of an armed cartel of “Crossers” take responsibility for arranging consignments of timber from the forest and conveying them to designated destinations outside the state.
“Your Excellency, recall that in 2008, arising from an environmental summit, the Cross River State government instituted a moratorium on the forest specifically targeting loggers. However, despite the moratorium, the spate of deforestation has rather intensified. At the moment, logging activities have taken more alarming and sinister dimension in the state.
“As responsible civil society organisations, and expert in forest management, we are confident that under your leadership and given the political will, the escalating threat of deforestation as well as the gals and challenges associated with existing government responses can be fixed.
“Your Excellency, as you assume office on the 29 May, 2023 and deliver on your inaugural address to the people of Cross River State, it will be a great opportunity to read the “riot act”to those destroying the forests, and clearly state your preference for preserving the Cross River forests,” he said.
The state’s forest reserves has declined at an alarming rate and in a recent report titled Vanishing Reserves, it was revealed that over 28 per cent forest cover of the state has been depleted.
THEWILL Correspondent, Aniekan Bassey has over six years experience that spans across several fields in print journalism including development communication, sexual reproductive and health rights issues, crime, climate change, social justice, business and human interest stories.
