Rainforest: Group Writes Imoke Again on Key Issues

Rainforest: Group Writes Imoke Again on Key Issues

ENVIRONMENTAL rights advocacy group in Cross River State, Southern Nigeria, Rainforest Resource and Development Centre (RRDC) has again written to the state Governor, Liyel Imoke, on some key issues concerning the move by a business to acquire around 8,000 hectares of the state's rainforest.

Last May 21, wrote to the governor on the matter pertaining to the proposed acquisition of 7,241.160 hectares of valuable rainforest estate of the state, by Southgate Cocoa Produce Limited.

Executive Director of the group, Odey Oyama, in their latest letter to Governor Imoke ,, which was also wired to AkanimoReports from Calabar, the state capital, said, ''It is evident that in the partitioning of the forest estate due diligence was not given to the specificities of the traditional interests of the affected communities. This point is manifest from the fact that the boundaries of the site, as shown on the survey map are all made up of straight lines. This does not conform to the general experience with lands belonging to indigenous communities. The natural boundaries that exist between community lands are hardly ever perfect straight lines.

''It is evident that there was no Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) conducted on this project that is proposed to cover well over 7000 hectares of rainforest estate, located within the contiguous zone of the Cross River National Park, Cross River South Forest Reserve and the Okpon River Forest Reserve.

''For example, streams and springs that constitute the freshwater resources of the communities that live within and around this enclave have been summarily conceded. The implication of this on the Livelihoods and Health of the affected communities will certainly be very undesirable. The provisions of the laws of the National Environmental Standards, Regulation and Enforcement Agency (NESREA), National Park Service Act No. 46, and the Environmental Impact Assessment Act No. 86, CAP. E12, demand that the EIA-report for projects, such as this, should be published, and also that the general public and the affected communities should be granted unhindered access to such publications. Our observation is that this has not yet been done!''

Continuing, they said, ''the fact that the land is an approximate rectangle shows that the boundaries are entirely artificial. A visit to the site and the affected communities would prove that this position is correct. The implication is that portions of land belonging to other communities have been included in this land deal, without the consent of the respective communities.
''From this point of view, it could be deduced that this hasty land deal could end up in protracted discord among the affected communities, for the present and several future generations unborn''. ENDS

© Scoop Media