The Cross River State Government has called for increased private sector partnership to promote environmental sustainability across the State.
The Commissioner for Environment, Barr. Offiong Bassey Mensah, made the call during a meeting with the management of Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc in Calabar.
He identified areas of possible collaboration under the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR, initiatives.
Barr. Mensah disclosed that Calabar metropolis had recorded cases of flooding this year, attributing the situation partly to heavily silted drainage channels.
He therefore appealed to Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc to support the desilting of drains along Murtala Mohammed Highway, from the Flour Mills Junction to the New Secretariat, as part of its CSR initiatives.
The Commissioner also said the Ministry of Environment is planning the development of a fruit market at Obutong to accommodate fruit vendors currently operating around MCC and Mobile Junction.
He explained that the proposed facility would include a permanent toilet and other basic amenities to provide a more suitable environment for the vendors and their customers.
According to the Commissioner, relocating the vendors to the proposed market would help decongest major roads, improve traffic flow and enhance environmental order in the metropolis.
He stressed that the government would no longer tolerate the sale of goods along major highways, noting that the initiative was part of ongoing efforts to restore sanity and improve the aesthetics of the state capital.
Responding, the company’s representatives, led by the Human Resource and Business Manager, Niger Mills, Mr. Matthew Anuga, said although the proposed projects were not captured in the company’s 2026 CSR budget, which is largely focused on its host communities, the company was willing to explore areas of collaboration with the State Government.
He assured the Commissioner that after necessary consultations with its Head Office in Apapa, Lagos, the company would communicate its areas of possible intervention and take the necessary steps to support the government’s environmental sustainability efforts.
The meeting underscored the importance of stronger collaboration between the government and the private sector in addressing environmental challenges and advancing sustainable development initiatives across the State.
By Sylvia Okoi
