Signature dishes from Cross River forests - Afang soup!

Ingredients for famous Nigerian dishes come from the Cross River State forest areas. Afang soup gets its name from the afang leaves that grow in shady forests and is difficult to cultivate. Ogbono or bush mango is another forest loving crop. Today we focus on afang or okasi with a recipe from Dooney's Kitchen. Many people also put the water leaf first but its all good.

Hope you enjoy it. Forests are life!

Credt. Dooney's Kitchen. Their videos are really amazing.

Weeds overtake Cross River Superhighway

“So for those whose farms were destroyed, it has affected them negatively. They have to look for somewhere else to do their farms and no one has even answered them. They collected their names, phone numbers and other details for them to get their claims, but since then till now, nothing."

http://thenationonlineng.net/concerns-weeds-overtake-cross-river-superhighway/

The Ikom/Alok monoliths in tentative list for World Heritage Status

These monoliths are the logo of the Cross River Tourism Bureau and are depicted in a giant sculpture at a roundabout on the highway. A very important tourism asset)

Here is an excerpt from UNESCO

Statements of authenticity and/or integrity

The stone monoliths of Alok Ikom bear a form of writing and a complex system of codified information. Although they seem to share the same general features, each stone, like the human finger print, is unique from every other stone in its design and execution.

The geometric images on the monoliths suggest that their makers possessed more than a basic knowledge of mathematics, not only because they are geometric, but also because of the obvious implication that there were computations and numbers on the layout of the stones.

Comparison with other similar properties

The Ikom monoliths with their geometric inscriptions could be compared to the rock Arts of Tanzania. The meanings of the codified symbol are known to only the artists. These are also associated with their origin, which is like most rock art works in Africa. Ikom monoliths could be West Africa's answer to United Kingdom's Stonehenge.

for more information >>> http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5173/

Super Highway: Communities Spit Fire Over Non Payment Of Compensation

Source New Nigerian Newspaper by VITALIS UGOH, Calabar

Villagers from Ikot Okpo Ene, Ikot Ndarake and Ikot Abasi Effiom in Akpabuyo local government area of Cross River, have vowed not to allow construction work on the proposed Superhighway until the state government pays compensation on the destruction of property and economic crops.

Over a billion Naira worth of property, farm lands and economic crops were lost as the government cleared the starting point of the project.

The people have remained in perpetual hardship and pains in the last two years when the state government conceived the idea of constructing the superhighway which till now has not seen the light of the day.

It would be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari had on 30th October, 2015 performed the ground breaking ceremony to commence the construction of a superhighway from Bakassi to Obanliku in the state.

However soon after the ceremony, the state government mobilised machines to the affected three communities in Akpabuyo and began clearing of farm lands as well as economic trees which are the major sources of income for the villagers.

Narrating their ordeal to newsmen, Chief Emmanuel Okon, who spoke on behalf the three communities, regretted ” that no inventory was taken by government on the number of economic trees and property destroyed. Till the his moment, no plan has been made by the state government to pay compensation to the affected comminatory and individuals”.

Okon said ” the sources  of livelihood of our people especially women have been destroyed as women and children have resorted to begging to survive”.

This ugly development, he said, has increased the rate of youth restiveness and crime in the area while over 10 youths and children have dropped from school due to the inability of their parents to pay their fees.

He commended the out cries of the Non-governmental organisations in the state which made the Federal government to halt the project until the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is carried out.

As a community, he added, “we are not aware of any of the conditions that have been met as directed by the Federal Ministry of Environment by the state government especially the directive to consult with the host communities and issue of payment of compensation”.

Despite not meeting the conditionalities, he said, “the state government has mobilised machines on site to resume the clearing of the farm lands, when there is no formal approval of the (EIA) from the Federal government”.

While describing the project as “one shrouded with deceit and illegality as well as anti people” he called on the Federal government to compel the state to as a matter of priority pay compensation to the affected communities.

Also speaking, chief Saviour Effiom Duke from one of the communities, expressed worry over the plight of his people whose property and farm lands as well as economic trees were destroyed.

He called on the Federal government to compel the state government to commence the payment of compensation without delay.

“We are not against the construction of the superhighway, but government should pay compensation over the destruction of our property and economic trees.

Also, a blind man and several widows narrated their ordeal as they had lost their palm plantations and their farmlands.

Source New Nigerian Newspaper 

DOWNLOAD - Economic Alternatives to the Cross River Super Highway

Is it sensible for a broke Cross River State state to try to build a new "super highway" when its existing roads are in shambles and rural roads are insufficient? If this new road is economically viable why are there no investors? For facts -  Download Economic Alternatives to the Cross River Super Highway HERE 

This is an ambitious and expensive project. There has been so much debate about the human and environmental cost of the super highway and very little debate on its viability for investors. How will the project be funded and recouped? Why are there no investors?

Download Economic Alternatives to the Cross River Super Highway HERE 
an in depth analysis from RRDC, Green Code and BudgIT

Cross River Super highway victims cry for compensation

Cross River Super highway victims cry for compensation.

Over one year after losing crops to bulldozers for the ill fated Cross river superhighway farmers have been ignored. The "signature project" of Governor Ayayde has been fraught with procedural lapses, protests, lack of investors and an inability to secure Federal environmental permits despite for submissions for what is viewed by many as a logging scheme to access valuable hardwood.

Listen to the voices of those affected.

FULL List of Conditions in FG Provisional EIA Approval of Cross River Super Highway

There has been much rejoicing by the Cross River State Government over an "EIA approval" for its proposed superhighway. However what was obtained is a conditional approval with 23 pre-conditions. As usual people do not have the full text of the conditions and clearly the State Government is not releasing any details. Here is a list of all the pre-conditions many of which cannot be completed within a 2 week deadline or are vague at best. 

23 CONDITIONS FOR PROVISIONAL APPROVAL OF THE SUPERHIGHWAY PROJECT     

Some Highlights

        Plan to be revised and resubmitted within 2 weeks

• ·         Development and funding of biodiversity offset to be included
• ·         List of all affected 5 communities  must be made public by the Cross River State      Govt. 
• -         Communities already affected by earlier clearing before stop work order last year  must be compensated before work commences
• ·         Create and implement resettlement plan etc before starting work
• ·         CRSG to maintain corridor at 70m. Reversal of revocation of earlier hotly contested 
•           20.4km width with 10km either side offset must  be GAZETTED before work  commences. Affected land ownership revoked had included Bakassi, Akpabuyo, Calabar Municipality and Calabar South contrary to popular belief it was just a forest matter in Central and Northern LGs. 
• ·         All non-Nigerian and Cross River wild life references to be addressed.
• ·         Long-term indirect impact on CRNP due to hunting and habitat loss to be addressed
• ·         All NGOs, national and international, to be consulted throughout
• ·         CRSG to protect hydrology and wildlife corridors
• ·         Map to be made clearer, should not cut through Ekuri or CRNP
• ·         Erosion controls to be included
• ·         Safety standards      
• 
  

Approval for the project subject to the following conditions:

1. The EIA approval shall cover only the construction of a 275km long by 70m width Super Highway of 6 lanes including setbacks and other associated infrastructures such as eco-friendly bridges, culverts, drainages from Calabar to Katsina-Ala junction in Cross River State.
2. Cross River State Government (CRSG) shall ensure that the construction of the entire road project and associated infrastructures conform to standard engineering codes and International best practices.
3. CRSG shall ensure that the diverse management plans, which include Environmental Management Plan (EMP); Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP); Resettlement Action Plan (RAP); Livelihood Restoration Plan (LRP); Greenhouse Gas Management Plan (GHGMP); Public Consultation Plan (PCP); Waste Management Plan (WMP); Traffic Management Plan (TMP) as well as Labour and Human Resources Plan (LHRP) put in place for the road project are strictly adhered to as required throughout the project lifecycle.
4. CRSG shall engage a group of accredited Consultants to effectively manage the diverse management plans for the proposed road project.
5. CRSG shall ensure the realignment of the 275.344km road corridor from the boundary of the Cross River National Park is in line with the National Park Service (NPS) Act CAP LFN 2016.
6. CRSG shall ensure the re-routed road corridor is clearly depicted on a map in the updated EIA report taking cognizance of the boundary of Cross River National Park and Ekuri Community Forest as well as conform to international best practices on setbacks for highways in critical ecosystems such as the proposed corridor.
7. CRSG shall gazette the reversal of revocation order on the acquisition of 10km on either side to the 70km span of the road corridor as well as the gazetting of the boundary of Cross River National Park within two weeks (2) of receipt of this letter.
8. CRSG shall ensure that the initial land clearing of the road corridor that was carried out without due inventory of the third party properties/farmlands is revisited to adequately compensate the project affected persons (PAPS) in line with National and International standards of practice on resettlement and restoration plans. This shall be done prior to project commencement.
9. CRSG shall identify all proximate communities to the road corridor within the established area of influence as well as the project affected persons (PAPS) and ensure that every community/PAP is regularly consulted with throughout the project lifespan.
10. The environmental offsetting should be one of the guiding principles for the proposed road construction as the proposed project area of influence is noted for endemic, threatened and endangered flora and fauna. There shall be development and funding of Biodiversity offset by CRSG.
11. CRSG shall ensure that all relevant non-governmental organizations both local and international are consulted with regularly during the project lifespan to ensure among others biodiversity protection and project sustainability.
12. CSRG shall ensure that the highly technical eco-friendly bridges to be constructed at strategic points/biodiversity hotspots/critical ecosystem on the road corridor are intensively monitored by specialized accredited consultants.
13. CSRG shall ensure that the borrow pits proposed for the road project are provided with coordinates for ease of location, site identification number, reclaimed and converted to alternative environmental-friendly uses in line with regulatory standards as well as International best practices.
14. CRSG shall ensure that the proposed road setbacks from third party structures, farmlands, critical ecosystem and green areas confirm to Engineering code of practice/regulatory standards as well as International best practices.
15. CRSG shall ensure that cautionary signs are appropriately placed at strategic points along the road corridor during implementation and throughout the lifecycle especially for wildlife crossing.
16. CSRG shall ensure proper drainage termination for the flow route of run-off/storm water to protect the road corridor from erosion, ensure that the road embankment is constructed in a way that allows free-flow of surface water run-off, that any existing access road to neighbouring villages and settlements are not blocked, create appropriate buffer zones to prevent damage to unique ecosystems as well as enhance forest cover
17. CSRG shall put in place appropriate road furniture and safety standards in line with International best practices.
18. CRSG shall ensure that the proposed project protect the hydrology of wetlands, streams and channels through restoration of natural drainage pattern and reduce disruption of of ecological processes by providing wildlife corridor. 
19. CSRG shall provide adequate personal protective equipment for workers, ensure that every worker on the project is adequately trained on Health; Safety and Environment procedures for Highway and provide sanitary facilities and mobile clinic during project construction
20. CSRG shall ensure that the maintenance and management of the road corridor is in line with International best practices.    
21. There shall be Impact Mitigation Monitoring (IMM), Post Impact Assessment (PIA), Environmental Audits and Compliance Monitoring on the project by the Federal Ministry of Environment in collaboration with other relevant regulatory agencies.
22. CSRG shall put in place a robust contingency plan for the proposed road project.
23. CSRG shall update 4^th version of the EIA report to also include the following:-

a.      To exclude flora and fauna that are non-existent in the proposed project area of influence as per the attached;

b.      A comprehensive list of the actual affected communities along the proposed road corridor;

c.       List of borrow pits with coordinates and site identity for the proposed road project;

d.      Map clearly showing the preferred road corridor with coordinates as well as major crossings along the entire stretch;

e.      The EIA report should consider indirect long term impacts of hunting and habitat loss on Cross River National Park proximity to the Super Highway with improved access to the forest.     

f.        The updated 4^th version of the EIA report shall be submitted to the Ministry within two (2) weeks of the receipt of the letter.

ADD ON. In my opinion none of these requirements can be done in 2 weeks, there are still no funders and with the recent NDDC take over of the old Calabar - Oban - Ikom - Etung road the journey to Ikom will be 1hr without the super highway within the next 2 years well before the super highway 2022 proposed completion date.