Nigerian gets ‘ NEW Congo Basin Rainforest Journalism Fund’ grant

A freelancer, Taiwo Lawrence Adeyemi has been named a grantee of the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting ‘ NEW Congo Basin Rainforest Journalism Fund’ announced on November 04, 2021.

Adeyemi is formerly an Associate Researcher – Conflicts & Terrorism and Research Analyst at Premium Times Center for Investigative Journalism [PTCIJ], Abuja – www.ptcij.org. ‘Vendors Relations Specialist’ – Open Contract at Institute for Security Students, Africa – www.issafrica.org

The $3,150 dollars grant for Adeyemi will be used for extensive investigation of Cross River State ‘Super Highway’ Project on the tropical rainforest and intact forest landscape.

Cross River State Tropical Rainforests, the largest remaining rainforests ecosystem in Nigeria and one of the 25 eco biodiversity hot-spots in the world [which competes favourably with Nyungwe National Park in Rwanda, one of the oldest rainforests in Africa] is facing degradation on the account of Cross River State ‘Super Highway’ project.

“Counting The Costs of Cross River State ‘Super Highway’ Project on Tropical Rainforests and Intact Frontier Landscape [IFL]”.

Solution Journalism reporting of the Costs of Cross River State ‘Super Highway’ Project on the Tropical Rainforests and Intact Frontier Landscapes [IFL] which starts from the proposed Bakassi Deep Seaport in Calabar, Cross River State to Katsina-Ala, Benue State.

Projected at about 275 kilometers long and to intersect 115 kilometers of intact rainforests [protected rainforests areas] at an estimated construction cost of $2.5 billion dollars.

This rich forest estate is serving as home to highly threatened species including 1,568 plant species of which 77 are endangered medicinal plants and orchids, 22 primates.

Deforestation is ruining the habitat of many plants, animals, ecotourism, the economy of the communities, wildlife, increased desertification, loss of biodiversity ecosystems, reduction in carbon sequestration capacity which in turn contributes to climate change, hydrological cycles and water runoff.

Adeyemi’s report will explore among others:

1. Was Environmental Impact Assessment [EIA] carried out to evaluate the likely environmental impacts of the proposed Cross River State ‘Super Highway’ Project, taking into account inter-related socio-economic, cultural and human-health impacts that are both beneficial and adverse to over 185 villages and 60,000 rural population?

2. Will illegal and uncoordinated logging activities be enabled through the opening up of the proposed Cross River State ‘Super Highway’ Project that cut through the tropical rainforests?

3. The future of endangered species present within the intact forests landscapes and the tropical rainforests in this well-endowed eco-system that contains one of the highest concentrations of biodiversity.

4. A rigorous archival research of Cross River State ‘Super Highway’ Project on the Tropical Rainforests and the accompanying environmental problems.

5. And if re-routing of the proposed roads with potentially wide-ranging environmental impacts will markedly improve outcomes for nature and will not affect 185 villages. Like the Tanzania Serengeti National Park road project.

Taiwo Lawrence Adeyemi can be reached on:
LinkedIn
Twitter – @Taiwo387