LEGISLATORS RESTATE NEED FOR SYNERGY IN GOVERNANCE

Blessing Enagu.

Cross River State House of Assembly Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources has averred that synergy and communication are veritable tools for good governance in the State.

This assertion was made  during the Committee's meeting with key players in the Climate and Forestry cluster, held recently at the House of Assembly Complex, Calabar.

Addressing the cluster heads, the Committee Chairman, Rt. Hon. Charles Ekpe Okon maintained that in discharging their duties, passion should be the driving force, not personal interest; adding that where there are overlapping functions, collaboration should be resorted to for optimum productivity.

The Committee bemoaned the high rate of deforestation in the State despite the ban on logging and charged the responsible department to intensify effort to clamp down  illegalities in the forestry sector.

The law makers further charged stakeholders to explore salient areas of value addition to the State and tasked them to present a blue print of their respective offices, while pledging the Committee’s support in the realization of Governor Ayade’s mandate of conserving Cross River forest and her rich biodiversity.

In separate reactions, the Commissioner for Climate Change and Forestry, Ntufam Donatus Etim; the Special adviser to the Governor on Afforestation, Hon. Bette Obi, Special Adviser on Forest, Biodiversity and Conservation, Ntufam Edet Okon Asim, as well as the Chairman, Anti-deforestation Task Force, Odey Oyama, expressed resolve to harmonize actions for the overall interest of the State.

A unanimous appeal that ban on logging be reviewed and lifted for a sustainable forest management practice was made.

Highlighting some ethics of administration, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Climate Change and Forestry, Mr. Timothy Akwaji sued for appropriate management of official information and also prayed the House Committee to streamline the overlaps in the cluster.

Also in attendance was the State Coordinator, CRS - REDD+, Patrick Coco Bassey who re-echoed the Project’s advocacy for a sustainable forest management practice in Cross River State.