Andy Esiet, Calabar
Gov. Bassey Otu
Environmental experts in Cross River have called on the state government to immediately implement and review all state laws on environment.
The Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and Concerned Citizens on Environment in a position paper to the transition report review committee of the state, said this in Calabar as they they looked at issues affecting forestry, waste management, pollution, water and sanitation, climate change and carbon emission, and called for urgent government action
There are some state developed laws that have been neglected for years and the need has come for their immediate implementation and review were necessary, they charged.
They listed some of the laws to include: “Law-CRS Forestry Law 2201; CRS REDD+ -Strategy Document 2017; Consultation of the Cross River State Growth and Development Strategy 30 Years-(2018 – 2048) Developed by PIND” and others.
The environmentalists identified high rate of deforestation, weak institutions, absence of global standard in forest conservation and management, climate change Initiatives and funds and re-afforestation as some of the major gaps affecting the forest in Nigeria
Accordingly they called for “a holistic and immediate audit of Cross River State Forest to understand the current status of our forest revenue through haulage, single tree permit guideline system, and concessions.
“Strengthening of Cross River State Forestry Commission to play its statutory rule, ensure capable hands are recruited into the commission and volunteering opportunities open, organise quarterly CSOs-Government Environmental dialogue in order to provide an environment tracker”.
They also called for an annual environmental submit should and the “immediate disbandment of the Anti – Deforestation Committee being dominated by toxic elements; the State Forestry Commission should be empowered to carry out such task”.
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