Odigha Odigha
From Dianabasi Effiong, Ikom
Dr Odigha Odigha, an environmental activist and former Chairman, Cross River Forestry Commission, has advised the State Government to adopt best global practices in carrying out deforestation for development.
Odigha, a 2003 Goldman Environmental Prize winner for Africa, for efforts in rain forest protection, stated this in an interview with our correspondent in Ikom.
He spoke on the side lines of a peaceful protest by Ekuri people against deforestation and Government’s revocation of their communal land rights to construct the $3.5 billion super highway.
He also advised that for development to be meaningful “such development ought to have a human face and reflect aspirations of our people’’.
“The entire lives of forest dependent communities are dependent on the forest – the water they drink, their food, their medicine, all their economies are woven around the forest. If you want to do any development you must take them into consideration. There must be some form consultation, some form of participatory approach; let them get involved.They should know their rights. Then you will do whatever you want to do in a win-win-situation.
“From what the Ekuri people are saying on the construction of the 260-kilometre Superhighway by Gov. Ben Ayade of Cross River State, it appears the project is likely to hurt them; more than what it will bring to them. As it stands, most of them are not even aware of what it means Thank God some sons of Ekuri have been able to pick this up and interpret for their people.
“It will turn them into Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in their own land. You can see the frustration as they spread in the various communities.That means they will not have land by the various instruments issued by their government. We can see their frustration as expressed.
“If we are not to retrogress, development, no matter how well intentioned our strategies are, is meant for the people. It is only reasonable for us to give them an opportunity to participate. As of now the simple truth about it is that it is not well understood by them,’’ Odigha said.
He said that the state government needed to be cautious in its drive to build the super highway across the rain forest of Cross River.
Odigha said: “The main resource that sustain their economy is the forest.Take the forest, you have taken their lives, their means of livelihood.
“I think we need to tread cautiously on that from the point of view of the people and as a government. We have a history of forest protection by the Cross River State Government. Most of these communities have been practising community conservation at their own terms.The colonial government had forest reserves but Federal Government came up with the creation of the National parks to intensify forestation.
“This same government, particularly Cross River in 2008, said it will manage the state’s forest estate for carbon concession.That was the United Nations collaborative initiative on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (UN-REDD) programme in developing countries.
“Resolutions were signed at local and international fora after clarifying with the federal government that in doing the REDD programme Cross River will be taken as a pilot.That position was also endorsed by the Cross River and the Federal governments and also the World Bank under Foreign Carbon Partnership Facility.
“All these entities are already assessing and participating in the programme. The recent development within the present dispensation seem to contradict this agreement.To now pick about 535,600 hectares of land and put them under revocation to support the superhighway is about .5 million hectares of forest taken away. It is a big percentage from the total.”
According to him the development will be viewed seriously by the global partners in the REDD programme and will present Nigeria and the state in bad light.
“How would we be viewed by the international community? It has to do with issue of putting the integrity of the state and the Nigeria to question. These are concerns that need to be addressed before going forward on this issue. You do not just renege on those things and expect your partners to take you seriously. It is disturbing and we should show concern and ought to ask questions and do a cost benefit of whatever we need to do,” he said.
He said there was nothing wrong in developing other areas while setting aside some portions of our rain forests for carbon concession.
“And whatever development we need to do, we need to plan. If you set aside some portions of our forests for carbon concession, you can do development in other areas.
“We can do development but for goodness sake when you have entered into agreements and understanding stick to that for credibility, for integrity and transparency. I think that that agreement on REDD programme was entered into on our behalf and we have a responsibility to ask question.
“I served in the forestry commission up to May last year and I can conveniently say that there are tremendous support and good will for forest conservation.There will be some consequences. I foresee that some other international partners could develop cold feet, this can affect the state generally,” he said.
Odigha also advised governments at all levels to adopt what he called new paradigm for development by keying into the climate change economy.
“I expect government to toe the new paradigm for development, which is sustainable development, we have several things to benefit from there. They can attract more development from outside.
“Government should dialogue more with its people, be inclusive in approach. Fine it is a good highway.But let us be decent, obey our own laws and go into due process;
“Let us be futuristic and embrace sustainable development. We need to key into the new global climate change economy. If you have forests you are already in the big league.We should be pro forest in our activities and embrace the new development paradigm. Let embrace green economy; let us create green jobs
“Destroying environment as a sacrifice for development is an outmoded model.The new approach is that development should be in sync with the people as well as with the environment,’’ Odigha said.
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