From Judex Okoro, Calabar
The forest communities of Ikom, Etung, Boki and Obanliku in Cross River State have raised the alarm over the massive illegal logging of our forestry resources by timber dealers.
Otu had in early June set up a 21-man taskforce headed by Mr. Charles Ikpeme and Chief Cyril Anthony as secretary with a mandate to among others to curb the activities of illegal logging among the forests communities.
And on Tuesday, July 27, the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Hon Emmanuel Ironbar, in company of the Permanent Secretary, Forestry Commission, Mr. Felix Ita and some members of the Anti-Deforestation Taskforce inspected 32 trucks impounded with illegal timber at the border community with Ebonyi State
However, the communities are worried that even after setting up of the taskforce the tempo of deforestation has increased by leaps and bounds, claiming that over 20 trucks daily are fully loaded with timber logged from our rich virgin forest and these resources drive through Ikom, Boki, Obanliku and Obudu roads to the North (Benue) and others to the East (Ebonyi).
Two former chairmen of the state forestry commission, Dr Odigha Odigha and Peter Jenkins, as well as the paramount ruler of Boki LGA of the state, alongside other forest experts, like Ken Henshaw, raised the alarm, insisting that the state government must disband the taskforce immediately.
Otu had in early June set up a 21-man taskforce headed by Mr Charles Ikpeme and Chief Cyril Anthony as secretary with a mandate to among others to curb the activities of illegal logging among the forests communities.
Speaking on behalf of the affected forests’ communities, a community leader from Obanliku local government area, Chief Emmanuel Agba, said the illegal loggers have depleted Boki, Etung and Obanliku forests and would soon turn it to a total grasslands just as what we have in Benue and other grassland states disclosing that up to 150- 200 trucks loaded with timber leave the state in a week.
Agba, who claimed to be forestry and wildlife management expert, timber dealers are smiling to their banks as fully loaded truck cost about N40million, adding that “if this forest is removed, global warming would befall us in full swing and we have started seeing the symptoms of climate change, we have started seeing alterations in rainfall, hot Weather, low crop yield and lots more.
“Research has shown trees to be the second highest carbon absorber. If an aged tree is cut down the absorb carbon will be released back to the atmosphere. As a forestry and wildlife management expert, I know too well the threat which this people are about causing to the affected communities which could lead to another climate pandemic. Very soon, we would start witnessing falling of dark substances and dark rainfall as is happening in Ogoni land.
“Accumulated carbon when the trees are not available to absorb it can easily affect the ozone layer and would grant the sun and its tonic substance free access to the earth. Climate disaster is what we Cross Riverian should not even dream of because it can even lead to earthquake, landslide and volcanic eruption,” he stated.
Agba called on government to organize an orientation for the communities and other stakeholders on the dangers of selling off their forests in the name of making money from timber as Cross River have 50 per cent of the Nigeria remaining rain forest just as the forest is serving the whole world by absorbing the wondering atmospheric carbon.
Also speaking, the paramount ruler of Boki local government area of the state, HRM Otu Fredaline Akando, said: “The other day I counted thirty trailers loading and carting away logged timber from the forest which we have preserved for years. Our new governor should rise to the occasion now.”
On his part, Ken Henshaw a stakeholder and a member of ‘We the People,’ lamented that the once biggest cover in Nigeria and West Africa is almost gone, adding that deforestation is going on unabated and is now an open business.
He alleged that the agencies saddled with the responsibility of protecting the forest have become partakers in its destruction and called on government to be proactive.
Earlier, Governor Bassey Out has stated that his administration would not tolerate any form of illegal logging and has ordered the task force to get down to works and track down the culprits and possibly prosecute those found culpable.