By Kelvin Ololo
As the rainy season is fast approaching, residents in the Calabar metropolis of Cross River State have expressed fear and concern over old trees along some major streets and highways in the state capital.
Some of them who spoke to CrossRiverWatch traced their concerns to the windstorm that hit the city on 10 November 2024, leaving the state capital in debris and damage.
Chief Udo Anietia, a resident of Ikot Ansa Community, said, “The last rain that made things worse was that of last year. There were damages, many houses, shops, electricity poles, and properties, including those of the government, were destroyed, and trees were uprooted too. It was not an experience that one should witness again. Whenever I am in transit, I look at those trees, fear grips me. I know they are planted to beautify our state, but they still need to be carefully trimmed by those in charge to avoid disaster.”
READ: 8 Escape Death As Tree Crushes Commercial Bus In Calabar
Mr. Eyo deferred a bit. He said he is okay with the way the trees are. “I don’t see anything wrong with the trees. The governor is doing his best. It is just that the trees need to be properly trimmed so that they do not cover motorists when driving. I love the atmosphere and the shade the trees provide.”
A motorist who pleaded anonymity averred that: “My concern is not on the trees by the highway, but some trees that were stormed down that the government came and cut off the branches and stems, leaving their trucks. Go places like Axari, toward Winners Way, you will see that proper work was not done to remove those trees that were pulled by the storm. All of these can cause unforeseen problems to road users, especially those who drive at night.”
A commuter, Miss Emilia Amba, expressed concerns about how old the trees have become. “The trees are old, and as you can see, some branches are falling off already. What if they fall on a moving car? To me, the old trees should not be abruptly cut down or removed, but trimmed, and new ones should be planted under the old ones to be able to replace the old ones after.”
READ ALSO: Another Roadside Tree Falls On A Car In Calabar
Another road user, Mr. Achibong, infers that “The governor of Cross River State is doing well, we must commend him for paying attention to environmental sanitation of our state. Last Saturday of the month sanitation exercise has gone a long way to tackle health issues such as cholera and boost the cleanliness of the state.
“But for the trees on the highway, I think they are old enough to be replaced. Those trees were planted by former Governor Donald Duke, and as you can see, some of them are old enough. It’s better that we trim or cut off those old branches before they fall on road users. Life is precious compared to anything; let the government do something about it.”
A trader along Murtala Mohammed highway, who wouldn’t be named, shared her experience on previous incidents. “I know what I passed through during the rain that fell and destroyed things last year. This side of my shop was carried away, I have to spend thousands to put it up, and there was a blackout about two weeks before the light was restored. Many things went bad. The government should make good decisions now before making them late when calamity has taken place.” She said.
Others who spoke to CrossRiverWatch while sharing their divergent views urged the state government to act as a matter of urgency to trim the tree and put in place preventive measures to forestall tragedies.
RELATED: Two Escape Death As Tree Falls On A Car In Calabar
It will be recalled that, on 10 November 2024, the state capital was hit with a windstorm that uprooted many trees, leaving residents with two weeks of blackout and unbearable damage. Slide below photos left.
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