The Etara community in Etung Local Government Area, Cross River central, is presently under siege as loggers continue to damage the almost non-existent infrastructure in the area.
In a video just obtained by www.calitown.com, stacks of wood waiting to be transported at night to far flung destinations can be seen lining the side of the only treacherous road connecting the village to civilization. Several community constructed culverts and bridges are said to have given way as loggers serially convey earth moving equipment into large parts of the state’s internationally acclaimed bio-diversity hotspot.
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An elderly woman, sandwiched between a commercial motorcyclist and wares she travelled out of the community to buy, can be seen uncomfortably sitting on the motorcycle as they take a plunge down one dangerous collapsed bridge.
A source in the village informed us that the community has resorted to self help in fixing whatever portions of the road they can fix. When the rains become severe, access to the village becomes a huge challenge. “All the wood that is taken out of our forests is owned by big people in government. If you try to stop them from coming to tear down our forests, they use government power to oppress us. Even the only road we have that their activities have destroyed, they cannot fix it and we continue to suffer”, the source submitted.
Several government officials contacted on the activities of loggers and the plight of the community, refused to say a word.
