The Cross River state government is facing public backlash following the revelation of certain details about its vaunted ‘Super highway’ project.
The Cross state government is planning the construction of a 260km six lane highway which will span from a deep sea port in Calabar all the way to Benue via Akamkpa and Ikom. The bone of contention between the people and the government is that the planned highway will cut through several protected forest reserves.
The state government’s absurd solution has been to revoke the rights of occupancy within a 20 kilometre belt which includes the Oban Group, Ukpon River and Afi River forest reserves, therefore giving the government rights to fell the trees and displace the communities therein.
Cross River boasts the privilege of having the largest surviving rain forests in Nigeria and some of these forests are home to endangered species such as drill monkeys and the Cross River Gorilla.
The Government’s ill advised highway will have disastrous effects on the environment and will significantly put Nigeria’s forest reserves at risk.
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