Large scale immature and under-girth sizes of Tropical High Forest Timber in the Chinese company logged illegally in the Okuni community forest, its environs,
By Anietie Akpan
A petition from the Rainforest Resource & Development Centre (RRDC) has caused the Cross River State House of Assembly. (CRHA) to set up a special committee to investigate the reckless and massive logging of wood in Okuni Forest in Ikom Local Government Area of the state.
The petition dated August 16 and signed by the Executive Director of RRDC, Prince Odey Oyama is captioned, “Request for Enquiry into the Activities of the Unidentified and Uncertified Chinese Foreign Nationals Operating Wood Processing Business In The Cross River State Tropical High Forest Estate In The Okuni Community Axis in Ikom Local Government Area”.
The petition addressed to Hon. Obi Bette of Boki I, State Constituency, Chairman, House Committee on Foresty of the Assembly reads:
“With utmost respect, we write to draw the attention of the Cross River State House of Assembly to the presence of Unidentified and Uncertified Chinese nameless Foreigne nationals in Cross River State tropical High Forest Estate in the Okuni Community axis, in Ikom Local Government Area of Cross River State. The said Chinese Foreign Nationals have commenced operations in wood harvesting and processing within the forest territory of Okuni and its environs. They are resident within the premises of MIKES WOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES LIMITED in Okuni.
The said Chinese foreign nationals are operating under the auspices of seven (7) Village Heads namely:
His Highness, Okim Ntui Ojong Nyambi
His Highness, Okim Edim Mgbe
His Highness, Okim Mbeh Nsor Ogo
His Highness, Okim Odey Odidi
His Highness, Okim Enya Agbor
His Highness, Okim Charley Missang
His Highness, Okim Obaji Agbor
We request the Cross River State House of Assembly to invite the seven (7) Effi Chiefs listed above, and their lawyer, Barr. Ichire Imo Okim to give explanations to the House of Assembly in respect of the particulars of the business and the particulars of the Chinese Foreign Nationals who they are currently habouring in Okuni community.
We are a non-governmental and not-for-profit organization based in Cross River State of Nigeria. We are registered with the Co-operate Affairs Commission in Abuja; under PART C of the COMPANY AND ALLIED MATTERS DECREE, 1990 of the laws of the Federation of Nigeria, as a charitable organization.
It is supposed that the uncertified Chinese foreign nationals are empowered by an agreement they have signed between a cohort of chiefs of Effi Village and the Chinese, under the counsel of Barrister Ichire Imo Okim. We are drawing your attention to this situation because in your office as Chairman, House Committee on Forestry in the Cross River State House of Assembly, you have the powers to demand from the said Chinese, copies of every agreement they have signed with the uncertified Chinese Foreign Nationals. It is also our understanding that you have the mandate to direct Barrister Ichire Imo Okim to submit copies of any agreement they have signed with the uncertified Chinese foreign nationals on the territories which are lawfully constituted under your schedule to the office of the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice for verification and due interpretation to government. It is our position that the clandestine manner in which these developments have been carried on will ultimately spell doom and irreversible damage to the ecological integrity of the Tropical High Forest estates of Cross River State of Nigeria. It is already on record that the Chinese are using proxies to harvest timber indiscriminately over a large territory that is presently encroaching into Etara, Ekuri Eyeyeng and Bendeghe Afi community forest adjoining the Cross River South Forest Reserve, Okpon River Forest Reserve and the Afi Forrest Reserve as well other critical areas of conservation interest such as the Cross River National Park.
Our recommendations from the foregoing is as follows:
That the Chairman, House Committee on Forestry should direct Barrister Ichire Imo Okim and his cohorts of Effi Community Chiefs to disclose the identities and certifications of the Chinese who are currently working under agreement signed with them in the Okuni axis of the Tropical High Forest Estates of Cross River State.
That the Chairman, House Committee on Forestry should direct Barrisster Ichire Imo Okim and the said Chiefs of Effi Village to officially submit the copies of every agreement they have entered into with the Chinese foreign nationals (or any other group of foreign nationals whatsoever) to the office of the Attorney-General And Commissioner For Justice of Cross River State for verification and interpretation.
The immune wood being carted away.
That the Chinese personnel should submit to the office of the Chairman, House Committee on Forestry evidence of taxes paid to the government of Cross River State over the year 2023 as required by law; or provide credible and acceptable reasons for TAX EVASION.
That the Chinese personnel should submit to the office of the Chairman, House Committee on Forestry evidence of VAT CHARGES paid to the Federal government of Nigeria through the Federal Inland Revenue office (or any other office/agency legitimately responsible for this duty) over the year 2023 as required by law.
Essentially, the Chairman, House Committee on Forestry should direct Barrister Ichire Imo Okim to make the following declarations and provide same to your office without delay:
The list of names of all the uncertified Chinese personnel conducting business in Effi Community, Okuni, in specific reference to the said lease agreement prepared by him.
The registered name of the Chinese Company doing business in Okuni Community, in specific reference to the said lease agreement prepared by him.
The official cooperate address and contact telephone numbers of the Chinese Company doing business in Effi Community in specific reference to the said lease agreement prepared by him.
A copy of the Environmental Impact Assessment Report produced by the Chinese Company to harvest and process wood products in Okuni community forest and the Cross River South Forest Reserve environment; which is dully approved by the Federal Ministry of Environment as required by Law.
A copy of the concession agreements entered into with the Cross River State Forestry Commission and the Chinese Company/ Foreign Nationals over the Okuni community forest and the Cross River South Forest Reserve, upon which the Chinese are currently conducting forestry operations.
A copy of the Expatriate Quota granted by the Ministry of Interior to the Chinese company to carry out timber harvesting and wood processing business in Okuni Community, Ikom Local Government Area of Cross River State.
Copies of all the agreements that the Effi Traditional Council of chiefs have entered into, with the Chinese Foreign Nationals on behalf of the Elders, sons and daughters of Effi Community.
Our preliminary field investigation has revealed that the said uncertified and unidentified Chinese Nationals have been conducting similar business at Edondon Community in Obubra Local Government Area, also within your operational jurisdiction, for over six years. We have further gathered that their operations both at Edondon and in Okuni Community are contrary to the extant Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as well as the International Protocols guiding foreigners doing business in Nigeria. It has therefore become pertinent to request the Honourable House of Assembly to investigate the clandestine and unlawful operations of this nameless Chinese company.
Significantly, it should be observed that all the logs found in the premises of the company are under girth (I.e. not mature enough for harvesting – The girth is the circumference of the stem measured one metre from ground level.). The company’s agents log absolutely without any restraint nor do they observe the state government policy on Sustainable management of the forest. In a scenario where there is no restraint, and the timber is obtained free of charge, neither taxes nor compensations paid, the Chinese can indeed afford to be extremely reckless and wasteful contrary to international best practices in sustainable ways of managing forest. Their forest activities are geared towards total depletion of the tropical High Forest ecosystem and the degradation of the regional environment.
More reckless logging in Okuni forest and its environ.
The company should disclose a statement containing the total value for individual logs supplied to the factory by its agents and proxies – showing cost of logs purchases for the period. The company should disclose a statement containing withholding tax on:
Logs transportation/ haulage contracts Diesel / Petrol supplies contracts, Documentary evidence should be disclosed pertaining to assessment report and receipt of upon which tax clearance were issued to the company”.
Meanwhile the State House of Assembly has set up a Special Committee to investigate alleged illegal wood processing in Okuni community by a Chinese company operating without due registration with relevant authorities
The House had deliberated on a Matter of Urgent Public Importance on illegal wood processing in Okuni presented by the Member representing Ikom 1 State Constituency and Minority Leader, Hon Samuel Neji Abang.
On his part, the Speaker of the Assembly, Rt Hon Elvert Ayambem vowed that anyone found culpable in illegal logging will face the wrath of the Law.
The House resolved that the Chinese Company’s operations should be stopped while it’s Management, the State Forestry Commission as well as the Chiefs of Okuni Community should be invited to offer public explanations on the matter.
However, an Abuja based legal practitioner and lawyer to Effi community, Okuni, Ichire Imoh Okim in an interview with some newsmen has denied any wrongdoing saying, there is no massive logging by any Chinese company in Effi community of the state.
He said, “I think this is clearly mis-informing. There is no massive logging by any Chinese firm, whether legal or illegal in Effi community. There is nothing like that, whether massive or less than that.
“There is nothing like secrecy. The person who started that idea was Mr Odey Oyama, and that is because he refused to attend the town hall meeting when negotiation with the chiefs and the firm was ongoing, so the name of the company and every other things was laid bare on the floor of the house during the town hall meeting”.
He noted that, “nothing stopped him (Oyama) from going to the chiefs to ask whatever that he wanted. Unfortunately he never did that, probably because he had an issue with the chiefs. From what the chiefs told me, they had information that since Odey failed in using his boys to halt the firm from kicking–off; Odey had hatched another plan of using his international connections to mount pressure on the company to stop work. I think it’s the reason why everything is centered on name of the company.
“This is why the allegations have been unending. In some occasions he will say Ichire stole community money, in another instance, he will alleged Ichire had sold the community forest. The allegation will be Ichire brought Chinese company, he sold the previous company for N2billion. All these seem to be right in the eyes of those supporting him”.
