CALABAR—A frontline pro-development group, Coalition of Civil Society and Media Executives for Policy Stability, COCMEP, has described as neo-colonialism and imperialistic, the ridiculous anti-people position being canvassed by an International Green Foundation, the Henrich Boll Stiftung, a foreign non-governmental organisation, NGO and its local collaborators against the 260 kilometre superhighway project being embarked upon by Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State.

The coalition urged the Federal Ministry of Environment to disregard the position of Henrich Boll Stiftung and conclude the approval process of the Environmental Impact Assessment, EIA, for the project.

Addressing newsmen in Abuja, President of COCMEP, Mr Innocent Okadigbo said, “The argument that the project would distort conservation is weak, porous and ill-informed because for every one tree affected, two trees would be planted and the state government has established the Green Police made up of 1,500 young Cross Riverians to protect the state’s rich and vast forest reserve.”

Okadigbo deplored the mischievous alarm by those he described as “self-seeking critics.”