Matthew Amaechi
A violent bout of stormy rain brought more than just floods to Atimbo in Calabar. Instead, falling trees have emerged as a new danger, crippling properties and vehicles in areas where aging, venerable trees have long stood as silent witnesses to the city’s growth.
Local residents voiced their frustration as another day dawned with damage that many say could have been prevented. Mr. Samuel Ekpenyong, an eyewitness to the incident, recounted the evening’s chaos to the media. “She was still calling out for the gate to be opened for her when a huge tree in front of the building fell on her car and seriously damaged it. Although the woman was not injured because she was not in the car when the tree fell, this is one too many damages in Calabar,” he said.In an incident that has rattled the community, a Nissan Xterra Jeep was rendered a total loss after succumbing to the branch’s impact.
This calamity echoes a grim incident late last year when a tree fell on a mini bus along the Muritala Muhammed highway, tragically claiming the life of a University of Calabar lecturer.
Residents are now calling on the Cross River State Government to take immediate and proactive measures. Miss Ikaete Livinus, another resident of Calabar, reflected on a series of similar events that have left the community vulnerable. “Late 2024, Calabar was rendered without power for days because of a similar stormy rain that brought countless old trees down in the city. These trees not only fell randomly; they destroyed power installations, including wires and poles, as well as shops and buildings. It even made it practically impossible to access the Murtala Muhammed Highway due to the number of huge untrimmed trees that fell that night.” Livinus stressed the urgent need for regular assessments of these aging giants before the rainy season gains strength.
Responding to widespread concerns, the Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Moses Osogi, expressed his sympathies to those who have suffered losses. “We have a unit in the Ministry of Environment whose responsibility is to identify and cut down old trees. If you go around the city you will see what we are doing; we are really trying our best, though it is a gradual process. We advise people who have identified potentially dangerous trees to contact the ministry, so our unit can certify if the tree is indeed a risk and take the necessary action.”
As residents brace for future storms, the call for improved preventive measures grows louder. The state government now faces mounting pressure to enhance its existing tree management program, ensuring that the old, towering trees are either pruned or removed to forestall another disaster in a city already battered by nature’s fury.
