Civil Society Organisations and relevant stakeholders in the forestry sector have called for the review of Cross River Forestry Commission Laws to address crimes, deforestation and promote reforestation.

Addressing newsmen on Wednesday in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, the Executive Director of “We The People,” Ken Henshaw, while highlighting the importance of upgrading the State forestry law, noted that Forest conservation and management is essential for global economic opportunities.

He noted that the existing law allows for penalties that could act as incentives for crimes to continue, emphasising that if a truck is seized during the commission of a forest crime, the penalty is meagre, which offenders or illegal loggers can pay and continue the crime.

“Illegal logging and wildlife trafficking continue to undermine conservation efforts. Weak penalties and enforcement gaps have allowed these activities to persist. The current law allows for penalties that could act as incentives for forest crimes to continue. For instance, if a truck is seized during the commission of a forest crime, the penalty is a meagre N200,000, a sum most illegal loggers will gladly pay and continue their crime,” he added.

In accordance with the need to strengthen sanctions and deterrence, he recommended stronger and more proportionate sanctions in line with the gravity of the crimes, improved monitoring systems, and better coordination among enforcement agencies.

Henshaw noted that Cross River holds great potential for ecotourism, adding that biodiversity and landscapes can generate revenue, create jobs, and incentivise conservation.

He decried that declining forest cover, insecurity linked to illegal activities, and lack of purpose and frameworks have undermined the state forest potentials, stressing that the new forestry law should embed ecotourism principles within forest governance, provide legal backing for conservation-based enterprises, and encourage public-private partnerships.

“By protecting forest, we are also protecting economic opportunities for present and future generations. We recommend community participation in forest governance, recognition of traditional knowledge systems and community-based monitoring mechanisms”, he explained.

On his part, Chairman, NGO Coalition for Environment, and renowned Environmental Expert, Odigha Odigha, pointed out that Cross River has lost over 60 per cent of its original forest cover, stressing that if urgent reforms are not undertaken, there are risks of losing Nigeria’s most valuable ecological assets.

“Cross River is home to Nigeria’s largest and most biodiverse tropical rainforest ecosystem. Cross River has lost over 60 per cent of its original forest cover. Large areas that were once dense rainforest have become degraded lands and grasslands. If urgent reforms are not undertaken, we risk losing one of Nigeria’s most valuable ecological assets permanently,” he stressed.