SAVE THE FOREST COMMUNITIES OF EKONG-ANAKU, CROSS RIVER STATE, NIGERIA
By
****LETTER FROM Rainforest Resource and Development Centre (RRDC), Nigeria.
INTERNATIONAL ALERT EMERGENCY ACTION REQUIRED: PLEASE ACT NOW WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP THE POOR COMMUNITIES OF EKONG-ANAKU
Democracy is about the defense of people's rights. So far nothing indicates that the rights of the people of Ekong-Anaku in Akamkpa Local Government Area of Cross River State of Nigeria have been protected in these transactions. If the people are dispossessed of their land, they will encroach massively upon the remaining Tropical High Forest (THF) and the adjoining Cross River National Park and the Korup National Park (in Cameroon). This will spell disaster to the Largest THF ecosystem in West Africa. RRDC needs your participation to succeed in this campaign:
- To stop the manipulation of the interests of the forest communities by the Cross River State Government in the Obasanjo farm project. The proposed Obasanjo farm is a threat:
i) to the Cross River and the Korup National Parks;
ii) to the rich biodiversity of the Cross River rainforest;
iii) to the Preuss's Red Colobus monkey which was thought to have been extinct in the Oban Division of the Cross River National Park, and which is only now re-appearing. Since 1998 one or two individual sighting have been made in the Ikpang forest block around Ekonganaku, an area inhabited by Korup people of Nigeria and Cameroon. Presently, the Preuss's Red Colobus monkey tops the list of critically endangered species in Nigeria including the Cross River Gorilla.
1. Please Contact President Obasanjo
- To bring Governor Donald Duke to act constitutionally and observe the rights of the people of Ekong-Anaku to their land;
- To direct Governor Duke to be guided always by the letter and spirit of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Land Use Act (1978) when dealing with community lands, even if the owners are not sufficiently aware of their rights.
2. Please Contact Governor Donald Duke of Cross River State (CRS)
- I received information recently that an out-rider and security officers of the Governor, Mr. Donald Duke of CRS have been looking for me since this story became public.
- The name of one of the Officers is Inspector Edet Ukpong (JP) (Alias Jaguar). His Telephone numbers are: 234-(87) - 235693, 234 - (87) 236942, 234 - (87) - 237304;
- Contact the Governor to withdraw his Policemen, stop attempting to intimidate me (and the rest of RRDC staff) and address the matter of the people's rights;
- Contact Governor Duke over the rights of the people of Ekong-Anaku over their land and community forests.
3. Contact Legislators / Parliamentarians
i) Please help us alert Parliamentarians in the Cross River State House of Assembly
ii) President of the Nigeria Senate and members
iii) Speaker of the House of Representative and members
iv) Please help us alert Parliamentarians in the European Union and appeal to them on our behalf to assist in this matter in whichever way they consider appropriate.
v) Please help us contact the Commonwealth of Nations to bring pressure on President Obasanjo
vi) Please help us contact the Transparency International
vii) Please contact your Minister of Foreign Affairs, Representatives in your National Assembly, Foreign Commissions in Nigeria ( your Ambassador or High Commissioner) asking them to contact the Nigerian government on this matter.
4. Importantly, Contact The International Press
- Please it is important that you contact CNN, BBC, VOA, DW-TV and any other International Press you may consider appropriate.
- Please contact your Local/National Press and request their cooperation in publishing the attached RRDC documents.
5 Contact Nigerian Foreign Diplomatic Missions
- Please contact the Nigeria Embassy or High commission in your country. RRDC is making ceaseless efforts to contact Legislators/Parliamentarians, civil society groups and concerned persons around the world to urge them to mount immediate pressure on the Nigerian government and Governor Donald Duke of Cross River State to address as a matter of urgency the rights of the forest community of Ekong-Anaku in the Ekinta Forest area. We have attached copies of documents of RRDC on this matter for International (rapid) Action.
WHAT YOU CAN ALSO DO TO HELP:
If you consider it appropriate:
i) Include RRDC materials in your newsletter or magazine or any other
publication you have access to;
ii) Mail the materials directly to your members, local groups, or friends
urging them to take action on our behalf;
iii) Use them in schools and colleges;
iv) Distribute them at meetings
v) Publish them on a website, etc.
TO ENSURE THAT ACTION IS BEING TAKEN:
a) Do a cover letter to the press, legislators, activists, civil society groups etc, emphasizing how important the matter is;
b) Follow-up Phone calls to remind them.
We would be very delighted if you could send us a few lines (at Road 4, Unit 3, Federal Housing Estate, P. O. Box 2384, Calabar, CRS, Nigeria. Or through our e-mail: rrdc_forest@yahoo.co.uk or odeyoyaama@hotoneil.com)
letting us know what action you have taken on this matter and whom you have contacted. If you have suggestions about whom we should make further contact with, we would be very grateful. Please do not hesitate to send us copies of any Newspaper articles in your Local/National and International Press where RRDC'S materials may have been published. Remember, we need your cooperation to succeed in this campaign.
Please see the attached documents of RRDC. You may mail it along with this alert to all the contacts.
CONTACT ADDRESSES
Chief Olusegun Obasanjo
President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
Aso Rock Villa,
Asokoro District,
Abuja, F.C.T.
Tel: (Chief of staff to the President) (09) 5235053, (09) 2347692
Tel: (Chief Security Officer to the President) (09) 3147973
Tel: (Principal Secretary to the President) (09) 5239853
Tel: (National Security Adviser to the President) (09) 5231911
Mr. Donald Duke
Cross River State Governor
Office of the Governor
Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria.
Tel/Fax: (087) 237247
Chief John Okpa
The Deputy Governor of Cross River state
Office of the Deputy Governor
Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria.
Tel/Fax: (087) 233706
Hon. (chief) Gabriel E. Edi
Speaker, Cross River State House of Assembly
Calabar, Cross River State
Nigeria.
Tel/Fax: (087) - 233706
Mr. Christopher Agibe
Commissioner for Agriculture
Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria.
Tel: (087) 234130, 235240
Mr. Colo Agbor
Permanent Secretary
Forestry Commission
Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria.
Tel: (087) 232433, 236453
Fax: (087) 236452
E-mail: crscfp@beta.linkserve.com
Senate President
The Nigeria National Assembly
Abuja, Nigeria.
Tel: (09) 2341414
The Speaker
House of Representatives
Nigeria National Assembly
Abuja, Nigeria.
Tel: (09) 2340303, (09) 2340393, (09) 2340626
Chief Kanu Agabi
Attorney General and Minister of Justice
Federal Ministry of Justice
Abuja, Nigeria.
Tel: (09) 5235194
Obong Ufot J. Ekaette
Secretary to the Government of the Federation
11TH Floor, Federal Secretarial Towers,
Shehu Shagari Way, Central Area,
P.M.B. 09, Garki, Abjuja
Tel: 234 - (9) - 5232247, 234 - (9) - 523527
The Honourable Minister
Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
Block, A, FCDA Secretariat Complex,
Garki Area 11,
P.M.B 135, Garki, Abuja
Tel: (09) 3143987, 3142622, 314509, 3142914, 3141931,
Fax: (09) 2345074
Lt. Gen. Theophilus Y. Danjuma (Rtd.)
The Honourable Minister
Federal Ministry of Defence
Defence Headquarters,
Muhammadu Buhari Way, Garki Area 7,
P.M.B. 196, Garki, Abuja
Tel: (09) 2340580
Fex: (09) 2340708
The Honourable Minister
Federal Ministry of Environment
9th Floor, Federal Secretariat Towers,
Shehu Shagari Way, Central Area,
P.M.B. 468, Garki, Abuja
Tel: (09) 2342807, 5235368, 5234014
Alh. Sule Lamido
Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Maputo Street, Off Abidjan Street,
Wuse Zone 3,
P.M.B. 130, Garki, Abuja
Tel: (09) 5230208, (09) 5230185-9 (5 Lines), 5230570, 5230825, 5230828,
5230204-6 (3-Lines), 6002588, 5230490, 5230492