By Sylvia Okoi
The Cross River State Ministry of Environment has unveiled plans to establish a Marine Protected Area as well as promote sustainable use of mangrove ecology.
This initiative was announced during the Environment Cluster meeting, which brought together Chief Executives Officers from the environment sector to align their action plans.
The Commissioner for Environment, Hon. Moses Osogi, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mrs RoseMary Onah, emphasized the meeting’s objective: to reconcile cross-cutting activities, define clear roles for lined MDA, and ensure effective planning.
She thanked the State Planning Commission for their critical role in drawing a road map for the cluster and urged all staff to ensure the actualization of government objectives on environment management.
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In his presentation, the Director of Ecology and Biodiversity, Mr. Sonigitu Ekpe, highlighted the Ministry’s goal to achieve a blue carbon ecosystem, contributing to Nigeria’s National Determined Contribution (NDC) and the Paris Climate Agreement.
He listed some of the Ministry’s 42 planned activities including dislodging of effluent by removing pollutants from the environment and desilting Major Channels by clearing waterways in Calabar metropolis.
Others are assessment of Mountains and Marine Biodiversity to evaluate ecological richness of the State and Biotecnical Intervention which entails applying biotechnology to environmental conservation
as well as ensure Green Space Development by Creating sustainable urban areas.
Also speaking, the Commissioner 1, State Planning Commission, Dr. Bassey Okim, commended the Ministry’s efforts in actualizing set goals, stressing the importance of aligning budgets with action plans and submitting monthly progress reports.
