Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and relevant stakeholders in the forestry sector have called for the review of Cross River Forestry Commission Laws to address illegal mining and logging in the state.
They made the call in Calabar during a stakeholders roundtable meeting on “Fostering Strategies and Partnership for Forest Protection in Cross River State” organised by We The People (WTP).
Describing it as worrisome, they identified mining activities across the state as the new driver of deforestation, noting that the actors of such practice have extended their activities to reserved areas such as the Cross River National Park.
Speaking on the issue, the Chairman, Forestry Commission, George Oben’etchi said the proposed superhighway by the past administration was just a smokescreen to logging.
He added, “We really need to look at our law so that it meets the current trend.
“If you must lift a ban on logging and follow it through, then you must amend the law in such a way that bottle necks created are prevented.”
The Executive Director of WTP, Ken Henshaw and an environmentalist, Richard Inoyo both said that the high rate of logging activities with thousands of trucks leaving the state on daily basis has depleted the forest.
Henshaw stated, “Cross River State is experiencing the fastest spate of forest loss globally. Aside from logging activities, other factors including the expansion of commercial plantations have been highly complicit in forest loss. The impact have been overwhelming.”
On his part, a renowned activist, James Ibor, noted that the forestry law which was established in 2010, has not received up to 10 percent implementation, a system he described as faulty.
He said, “We have to strengthen our institutions, sometimes it’s not just the law, it’s our institutions.”
Representing The Cross River National Park, the Deputy Conservator, Rebecca Ikpeme, said the park has been doing everything in its power to stop activities mining to no avail.
Ikpeme who is the Deputy Conservator, Cross River National Park, disclosed, “The illegal miners don’t have traceable identities. They are armed. Sometimes , they beat up our Rangers and injured them.”
