We are committed to Restoration, Sustenance of our Environment - Imoke 30/6/08

The Cross River State Government says it is committed to the restoration and sustenance of its environment, guided by a policy thrust built upon a clean and green philosophy.

Governor Liyel Imoke stated this while declaring open a three day Stakeholders Summit on the Environment in Calabar, Thursday, stating that it is through this that the state hopes to reclaim what it has already lost in its forest and mineral resources, adding that in this regard and in pursuance of this policy, it has embarked on aggressive environmental programmes in all its urban centres.

“You can therefore see why this summit is not only timely but highly imperative at this time” he pointed, stressing that “I am of the fervent hope that the theme of this summit which is, “Developing and Sustaining a Green and Safe Environment for Present and Future Generations”, is a well thought-out theme which will ably guide the deliberations of this event”.

Imoke emphasized that the world is today being ravaged by a myriad of environmental problems, posing real challenges to its collective survival, adding that these global crises range from food shortages, natural disasters, to bad weather and global warming and the summit would be able to provide a frame work for addressing these issues.

“Here in Cross River State, we still confidently boast of having the largest remaining, relatively undisturbed tropical high forest left in Nigeria. Over 6,700 square kilometers of forest reserve provide home for highly endangered wildlife species and plants. Also, the enormous vegetation cover provided by the forest estate, serves as a carbon sink for global Green House Gas emissions and provides many other eco-system services” he stated.

According to Imoke, nevertheless, the state also acknowledges the fact that its forest reserves are being depleted by the activities of illegal wood logging, pollution and other forms of forest degradation, saying that, also, the major coastal areas, waterways and the mangrove ecosystem are all being threatened by Colonies of invasive Nypa Palms and the Marine eco-system has been impacted by limited oil spills and over exploitation.

The Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Julius Okputu in his welcome address, said to care for the environment is to discharge a sacred responsibility that was divinely given by God to man, adding that Imoke recognizes the God-given endowment of the state and as such placed considerable importance on matters of the environment which is one of the points on the Administration’s seven-point-Agenda to “preserve the Physical Environment through conservation and promotion of environmentally friendly practices in development and lifestyle”.

Okputu explained this policy thrust contained in the Administration’s Economic Blueprint 2007 – 2011 is anchored on its SEEDS document, which is equivalent of NEEDs and during the preparations for the summit, the governor stated that it must not be mere talk shop and as such, the state had taken every step to ensure that the event produces actionable resolutions.

He noted that over the course of the days, they will come up with concrete resolutions, a policy document an as implementation frame work for sustainable management of the State’s Environment and its resources, disclosing that they will deal with four thematic areas which include Forestry and Biodiversity, Urban Environment Management, Environmental Governance and Climate Change, Energy and Industrial Ecology.

The Chairman, Organizing Committee, Mr. Odigha Odigha in an overview of the Summit, classified the theme into three topics namely Prospects, Challenges and Aspirations, stressing that the summit was not a talk shop but an event intended to bring concrete resolutions which will act as implementation frame work.

Odigha said the summit will also expose opportunities existing in environment which are capable of creating wealth and employment, disclosing that it was the first of its kind in the country which should be copied by other states as the earth is haven for all.

Goodwill messages were sent from the Country Director UNDP, Canadian International Development Agency, Department of Water Resources ECOWAS Commission and British Council in Nigeria.

UNDP saw the summit as an important directive which the Federal Ministry of Environment would equally initiate in Abuja, saying that matters on environment fall into four main areas – Environmental Governance, Environmental Management, Rural Technology, Role of Private Sector, Environmental Awareness and Advocacy.

Canadian International Development Agency disclosed that its involvement in Cross River in the next five years will gulp about $5 million, adding that the state projects will get both the private sector and rural communities involved while the British Council commended Cross River for being ahead of many states in Nigeria on issues concerning environment which places it as Nigeria’s champion, advising that environment is not an issue to be treated with levity any longer.

Government House Press