By Sylvia Okoi
As part of its Study tour to Cross River State, the participants of the Nigerian Air force War College Warfare Course 11, has visited the Cross River State Ministry of Environment to Understudy the State’s Ecological prospects.
Receiving the team to the Ministry, the Commissioner for Environment, Hon. Moses Osogi, who was represented by his Permanent Secretary, Barr. Mrs. Rosemary Onah, thanked the personnel for their strides in combating security issues across the country.
Extending the good will of the State Governor, Sen. Bassey Edet Otu to the group, the Permanent Secretary admitted the current Environmental Degradation and Changing Climate regime on Socio Economic Development of the State attributing it to core global environmental issues that must be tackled.
She stated that Cross River State over the past decades, despite its rich ecosystem has incessantly been under Increasing threat of Deforestation, unsustainable land use, flooding, pollution and other Environmental menace that has affected the State’s Economic prospect.
She highlighted notable Protected Areas such as the Cross River National Park, Afi Mountain Wildfire Sanctuary and Afi River Forest which houses the Cross River Gorilla and Nigeria-Cameroon Chimpanzee.
In a multi media presentation by the Director Ecology and Biodiversity, Mr. Sonigitu Ekpe who delivered an insightful lecture on the Current Environmental challenges of the state, stressed on the impact of Environmental degradation on the various economic activities in the State as well as the efforts of the Government towards mitigating the effects of these challenges.
He informed that the State Ministry of Environment is driving environmental Stewardship as it’s core philosophy and has put in place a set of action focusing on the responsible use as well as the protection of the State’s natural resources with the aim of improving the Environment for current and future generations.
In his remarks, the Commandant of Air force War College, Air Vice Marshall Patrick Philip who was represented by Brigadier General J C Mbanefo, thanked the Management of the Ministry for hosting them to an insightful and expository lecture.
He explained that the Air War College was the premier apex professional Military Educational Institution that exists in the country with the aim of training professionals at officers level.
Brigadier Mbanefo further explained that owing to high environmental degradation raising global concern, that as part of the module of requirement, participants of the institution had to embark on environmental study tour focusing on environmental degradation and socio economic development of Cross River State as their case study.
According to him, the essence of the study tour to the institution is to provide enriched information and data for comprehensive strategy based on the information processed.