Perception of Forest Stakeholders on Logging Ban in Cross River State, Nigeria

The study examined the perception of forest stakeholders on the ban on logging in Cross River State, Nigeria. The research was carried out from October, 2014 to January, 2015. Data was collected through the administration of structured questionnaire to 351 respondents that were randomly selected from four forest stakeholders, including: forest communities, Forestry Commission staff, timber dealers and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) on environment. One local government area was selected purposively, from each of the three senatorial districts of the state. Findings shows that majority (86.9 percent) of the respondents were males, in the age brackets of 30-50 years, while 8.5 percent were in the age brackets of 20-29 years of age. Most of the respondents (62.4 percent) had secondary education, while farming, civil service, trading and logging, constitute 81.8 percent of the respondents’ occupation. Findings revealed that majority of the respondents from forestry commission (100 percent), timber dealers (100 percent), forest communities (98.3 percent) and NGOs (96.2 percent) were aware of the ban on logging. Most of the respondents from forestry commission (42.3 percent), timber dealers (41.4 percent), forest communities (45.0 percent) and NGOs (38.5 percent) agreed that the reason behind the ban on logging was to protect and conserve the State’s remaining forests. Findings revealed that the ban on logging did not reduce timber exploitation as claimed by 65.4, 74.3, 55.5 and 61.5 percent of the respondents from forestry commission, timber dealers, forest communities and NGOs respectively. Furthermore, 65.4, 95.7, 87.8 and 53.8 percent of the respondents from the stakeholders affirmed that prices of sawn wood increased during ban. Result also indicated that there was a significant increase (P< 0.05) in the prices of sawn wood during the ban. Majority (96.2, 61.4, 86.9 and 61.5 percent) of the respondents attested that some people who depend on logging activities, lost their means of livelihoods and majority (92.3, 85.7, 91.3 and 96.2 percent) of the respondents agreed that taskforce members were corrupt. Again, majority of the respondents from forestry commission (69.2 percent), timber dealers (90.0 percent) and forest communities (59.0 percent) agreed that they want the ban on logging lifted.