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From Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
The people of Okpamakhin communities of Owan Forest Zone (OCOFEZ) have appealed to the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, to stop bulldozing their ancestral rainforest and farms, urging him to respect the ECOWAS court order.
While addressing a protest march recently held at Uhonmora Ora in Edo State, the people of OCOFEZ said “over 55 communities of Okpamakhin were opposed to the movement of bulldozers by the Edo State government and its proxy companies to the two remaining ancestral rainforest reserves of Owan BC 10 and luleha/Ora/Ozalla, respectively.
A statement made available to Sunday Sun reads in part: “Mr. Obaseki and his company allies, with the bulldozing of our ancestral forest and crops, have ignored with impunity the court case already instituted against them by the Okpamakhin Community Initiative, an NGO consisting of our community and local farmers, being answered to by the Federal Government of Nigeria, at the Court of the Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS), Abuja, through Suit No: ECW/CCJ/APP/22/22.
“Indeed, it is very terrible that Governor Obaseki soon turned around to cede our last ancestral forest reserves to the companies as he had earlier released over 15,000 hectares from the same Owan Forest Zone to Okomu Oil Palm Company PLC, whereas the same other company was previously indicted for selling our land, where part of 13,750 hectares was revoked by the immediate past Executive Council of the state government, when Governor Obaseki was a vital part, as its former Economic Adviser.”
