
Communities affected by the activities of illegal loggers in Cross River State demonstrating in Calabar
Over 10,000 hectares of forest reserves lost to illegal logging, as C’River communities lament

[From ANIEKAN ANIEKAN, Calabar]
Village Head of Ubiofor in New Ekuri, Akamkpa Local Government Area in Cross River, Chief Edwin Ogar has revealed that over 10,000 Ekuri forest in the central region of the state has been lost to illegal logging.


Chief Ogar made this known while reacting to the recent demonstration by some communities affected by the activities of illegal loggers in Cross River State.

He said the community has made several complaints to the government against these loggers and decided to demonstrate to draw the attention of the government to this menace.
Chief Ogar said: “The size of the forest, particularly in Ekuri, as we have taken the ground survey is 33,600 hectares of forest land.
“By virtue of this logging, from our estimation, we found that 10,000 hectare has gone down the drain.
“So, what is left now is about 23,000 hectare. And then, there is pressure, the same group logging here, went and brought another company, to come and log the other axis of New Ekuri. New Ekuri is the last bus stop along this road”, he said.
He added that the Ekuri forests helped to stabilize the environment in this era of climate change but that has now been lost as a result of illegal logging.
“You know, we are in the era of climate change that is bringing devastation to the entire world, the Ekuri forest, helped to stabilize the climate.
“unfortunately, this logging has aggravated climate change and that is why last year, and this year, my Ekuri people suffered a lot, we could not farm on our lands because of the weather change”, he said.
He called on the state government to live up to expectations by properly managing the forests to preserve their inheritance, and the climate for the overall benefit of the society.
He said the community laid series of complaints even to Governor Ben Ayade, as well as the forestry commission, and no help has come from that direction.
Hence, he disclosed that they felt that the best way is to demonstrate like this, so that they will understand that we are taking this issue seriously.
Also speaking, Mary David, Women Leader in Edondon, one of the affected communities lamented the negative impact of logging in their community.
According to her, “So, I am standing here as the women leader in Edondon, telling them that we have no road again.
“They have spoilt all our roads, we can’t sell our things. Vehicles cannot come into our village to buy anything. We are telling them that they should stop entering our forests or come to take the woods again, so that we will have road to take. Also, they should come and repair our road which they have spoilt”, she said.
However, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Afforestation, Biodiversity and Conservation Bette Philip Obi in his reaction said government is on top of the matter.
He said, “Government is on top of the matter. The trend is very difficult to checkmate because of the number of persons involved in the illegality.
“It’s not true to say that the state is not doing anything about the situation.
“He has put in place a taskforce and directed the Chairmen of local government to enforce the Forestry Commission Law by ensuring that no unauthorized person enters the forest to cut trees any further”, he said.