Federal Government urged to compensate host communities of forest reserves to check exploitation

Federal Government has been told to give compensation to host communities of rich forests in the country to check the exploitation of the forest resources by the people.
Commissioner for Environment in Cross River, Moses Osogi, made the call when he visited the Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Environment, Dr. Ishaq Salako, in his office in Abuja.
He said the non-compensation is gradually making such communities exploit forest resources thereby endangering the biodiversity as most of them rely on the forests for survival.

Osogi stressed that the lack of incentives for host communities of forest, in the area of flooding and erosion control, amongst others, are the challenges faced by the State.
He added that the state also faced the problem of recurring flooding as a result of the opening of the Cameron Dam and solicited the support of the Federal Government in enhancing the environmental sector of the State in order for her to maintain its place as one of the richest biodiversity hotspots in Nigeria and continually manage its forest reserves.