Illegal Logging Of Forestry Resources Worries Cross River Communities

Some forest communities in Cross River State, including  Ikom, Etung, Boki and Obanliku,   have raised an alarm over the massive illegal logging of forestry resources by timber dealers.
It would be recalled that the state government 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 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.
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 grassland 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, said timber dealers are smiling to their banks as a 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.