Cross River Assembly calls for ban on illegal logging at Monolith Heritage sites

The Cross River State House of Assembly has urged the state government and the Forestry Commission to impose an immediate ban on illegal logging around the Monolith Heritage sites to protect these ancient cultural artifacts.

Lawmakers also recommended that the State Tourism Bureau take full responsibility for managing the sites to ensure their preservation and develop them as tourism attractions

The resolutions followed the adoption of a motion by Hon. Thomas Aruku, who represents Ogoja State Constituency. Aruku highlighted that the Monolith Heritage Sites, known locally as akwanshi among the Bakor people, are located across communities in Ikom and Ogoja Local Government Areas. These include Nkarasi, Nnam, Alok, Nde, Nta, and Abayom in Ikom, as well as Emmandack 2 and Nfom in Ogoja.

Aruku expressed concern that illegal logging in the forests surrounding the sites has led to deforestation, damaged some artifacts, and in some cases, resulted in the theft of monoliths for commercial purposes. “These activities are eroding the rich cultural heritage and traditions of the Bakor communities,” he said.

Hon. Samuel Neji Abang (Ikom 1) emphasized the economic potential of the monoliths as tourist attractions and called for immediate action to preserve them and boost state revenue.

Other lawmakers supported stronger enforcement against illegal logging in reserved forests and encouraged initiatives to develop the monoliths into sustainable tourism assets.

Speaker Rt. Hon. Elvert Ayambem cited Kenya’s successful heritage-based tourism model as an example, noting that proper management of the monoliths could benefit the economy while safeguarding the state’s cultural legacy for future generations.

The House directed relevant agencies to implement the resolutions urgently.

Culled from vanguard