The Chairman of Cross River State Forestry Commission, Dr. Odigha Odigha,  has urged state governments to emulate the state government’s mode of forest conservation in their areas.
Odigha told newsmen in Lagos that the advice was necessary for posterity and for the image of Nigeria as a nation.
‘’Cross River is succeeding in forest conservation because there is a tradition of conservation although it is faced with other development challenges.
‘’Over the years, the state has tried to conserve its forest courtesy of local and international Non-Governmental Organisations.
‘’Also, there has been that consciousness even among the communities to protect their forest and even use it in a sustainable way.
‘’It will do the nation good, if all state governments do the same,’’ he said.
According to Odigha, Cross River sees forest conservation as a heritage and there is need to protect it for posterity.
“Forest is life and there is need to make policies to support that.
‘’The air we breathe in somehow depends on the quality of forest we have. Even the water sheds like the streams and rivers should not dry up,’’ he said.
Odigha said that streams and rivers were needed to ensure there was robust agriculture.
He said where there was no water, agriculture productivity would be low and that would be a threat to any nation’s food security.