A’Ibom govt warned against using forest reserves for carbon trading

Uko Okon, Uyo

An ecological think-tank, Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) has cautioned the Akwa Ibom State Government against allowing the forest reserve otherwise called Stubb Creek to be used for carbon trading in the state.

The Executive Director of HOMEF, Mr Nnimmo Bassey disclosed this to the newsmen after a one-day School of Ecology on Weaning from Fossil Addiction and Healing Territories in Uyo on Weekend.

He also stressed that refineries should not be located near where people are living because it causes cancer and other deadly diseases to the people.

“The carbon trading issue is something that sounds nice but the fact is that carbon offsetting and trading is a fault solution to global warming. It is an attractive presentation to the government because they believe they are going to earn income from it.

“But in reality, carbon trading brings little or nothing to the community. It brings harm to the community, it doesn’t bring benefits to the community.

“What the carbon cowboys will bring is only exchange of papers and then rather than the polluters carrying out real climate action, they will pollute it more with carbon and destroy biodiversity

“Stubb Creek belongs to the people not only the government What the Akwa Ibom State government should do is to preserve it and keep away refinery.

“The forest could be used for tourism where government can earn a lot of income. People should come and see a forest that is nice and not a forest that is full of carbon”

“The objective of the people who are selling and promoting carbon trading is for the polluters-oil companies to avoid action but to throw a few coins to the poor communities and dependent government, and deepened their problems,” he added.

Bassey noted that the 2060 milestone set by the Nigerian Government to end fossil fuel emissions remains an attempt to avoid responsibility.

He said that considering the negative impact of fossil fuel emissions in the country, the government would have drafted an urgent action plan for immediate transition if they were sincere enough.