Environmentalist kicks against construction of Cross River Super Highway
The Founder of Fight Against Desert Encroachment (FADE), Dr. Newton Jibunoh, on Monday urged the Federal Government not to support the construction of the Cross River Super Highway.
Jibunoh made the observation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
The Cross River Super Highway project was muted in 2016 and actual work started, until the outcry of NGOs made the government to issue an order to stop work on the site.
The project was proposed to run from Calabar to Kastina-Ala in Benue, running through Akwa Ibom, Abia, Ebonyi and Enugu States.
It was proposed to have setbacks of 10 metres each on either side of the highway.
According to him, if the project is allowed, the nation will lose its biodiversity to neighbouring Cameroon.
“There is rapid degradation of the nation’s environment.
“There is serious desertification from the North, gully erosion that has left many families homeless and without farm lands in the South- East.
“The oil spillage is causing havoc in the Niger Delta and now, the only rich biodiversity in Cross River is being threatened by the construction of a Super Highway project.
“If this is allowed, ignoring the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Nigeria faces the risk of losing its only surviving biodiversity to the Cameroons,’’ Jibunoh said.
The FADE founder said that the EIA report on the project was such that environment lovers and all Nigerians should rise up and kick against.
He said that already, because of the activities of poachers and other human negative actions on the environment, biodiversity had reduced and needed to be protected.
Jibunoh said that the project would cause massive destruction of the biodiversity’s habitat and forced them to live in another friendly and conducive area.
The FADE chief urged the Federal Government to enforce the cancellation and remedy all the damages already done in the area.
Jibunoh said that since the project would cut across communities, destroying economic trees and lands, the government should allow stakeholders’ views on issues pertaining to the construction.
