CALABAR —In a sweeping move to stamp out corruption and illegal revenue collection, the Cross River State Government has ordered the immediate withdrawal of all existing timber evacuation passes and announced the automation of its revenue collection system within the forestry sector NEGROIDHAVEN has confirmed.
The directive, which originates directly from the office of Governor Bassey Edet Otu, mandates a full-scale overhaul of the Commission’s operations, effectively nullifying the current permit system believed to be riddled with leaks and illicit activities.
The announcement was made in two separate public service announcements issued by the State Forestry Commission last week.
The first, dated August 28, 2025, and signed by the Chairman/CEO of the Commission, Dr. George O’ben-Etchi, published a definitive list of twelve approved revenue sources, centralizing all collections under the Cross River State Internal Revenue Service (CRS-IRS).
The approved levies include Timber Market fees, Saw Mill operations, Chain Saw fees, Industrial Development Levy on Timber, and levies from non-timber activities such as Quarries and Farms operating within Forest Reserves.
In a follow-up notice dated September 2, 2025, the Permanent Secretary of the Commission, Mrs. Bassey Onoyom Bassey, issued an immediate directive for the withdrawal of all evacuation passes previously issued in the field.
“The Commission is fully committed to the directive of His Excellency to ensure the restoration of normalcy,” the notice read, warning that any field staff who issues an unauthorized pass “shall attract severe consequences.”
The notice also cautioned the general public against transacting with unauthorized agents, stating that anyone who violates the new directive will face the full wrath of the law.
Aim to “Sanitize the Sector”
The reforms are aimed squarely at “sanitizing the sector by getting rid of all illegal revenue collections,” as stated in the first announcement. For decades, the state’s lucrative forestry sector has been plagued by allegations of multiple illegal taxation and revenue shortfalls, with funds allegedly diverted through a complex network of unauthorized agents and corrupt practices.
A source confirmed that the governor’s intervention signals a strong political will to plug these leaks and ensure that revenues from the state’s natural resources are properly channeled into government coffers for public use.
Stakeholders React
Industry stakeholders, who pleaded anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, have expressed mixed reactions. While many welcome the move towards transparency, they anticipate significant short-term disruptions to the timber and logging supply chain as the industry adjusts to the new automated system.
“The devil will be in the details of implementation,” one sawmill owner stated. “We hope the automated system will be efficient and not become another bottleneck.”
The Commission has advised all concerned parties to seek clarification directly from the office of the Chairman/CEO to avoid any infractions.
With this decisive action, the Otu administration has demonstrated its commitment to fiscal responsibility and good governance, setting a precedent for other natural resource-dependent sectors in the state.
