By Nsan Ndoma-Neji, Calabar
The kawmaker representing Boki state constituency 1 in the Cross River State House of Assembly, CRHA, Hon. Bette Obi, has appealed to the Senator Bassey Otu led-administration to lift the over 20-year-old embargo on wood logging in the state, given the adverse economic effects the ban has brought as a results of massive forest degradation.
Speaking on the floor of the House early this week, Obi stated that the embargo has over the years made the well-trained forestry rangers and other officials idle since untrained government-empowered task forces, whose only interest is to make money for themselves, had ended up ursuping the rangers’ statutory responsibilities.
Obi, a former Chairman of Cross River State Forestry Commission, averred that despite the ban on logging, several trucks of wood are still harvested every day from the forest and taken to neighbouring states like Ebonyi, thereby denying the state government of legitimate revenue.
He said, “Before the ban, the forests were managed with the cooperation of the local communities, who were also paid royalties from the trees harvested.
“There was also sustainable management of the forest with critical species replanted in place of the ones harvested.
“But now, armies of loggers just invade the forest, cut down every tree in sight after giving a pittance to the local chiefs.”
The lawmaker called for adequate utilization of the Forestry Commission Law, which he believes will help in check mating the wanton forest exploitation going on now.
He added, “As a member of the state House of Assembly, I know there is a law that has been passed by the state Assembly, known as the Cross River State Forestry Law and it is very rich.
“If you go through it, it does not include ban or moratorium, but it has been kept aside, so it is on that basis that I say we should remove the ban.”
In their various contributions to the debate, members of the Assembly observed that the motion was very timely and that the embargo should be lifted very soon so as to stop the huge loss of the state’s much-needed revenue to criminals.
The lawmaker further stressed that the purpose for which the embargo was imposed has not been achieved, rather the forest faces severe threats from the activities of illegal loggers.
He maintained that the forest which has been the natural habitat of some rare animal species is fast being destroyed by rampart illegal logging and bush burning, thus endangering the survival of such animals.
Obi stressed that proper management of the forest will also lead to job creation for the teeming unemployed youths as well as boost the state’s economy.
In his remarks, the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Elvert Ayambem, stated that the preponderance of opinion supported the lifting of the embargo.
The Speaker therefore directed the clerk to forward the motion to the state overnor for implementation.
