The Minister of Environment, Muhammad Mahmood has announced the approval of President Muhammadu Buhari for the establishment of Allawa, Kamuku and eight other additional National Parks in the country.
The Minister disclosed during a press briefing held at the Green Building recently in Abuja that the new parks would add up to the existing seven under the management of the National Park Service, NPS.
The existing parks are the Kamuku National Park in Kaduna state; Kanji Lake National Park in Niger and Kwara states; Gashaka-Gumti National Park in Adamawa and Taraba states and the Chad Basin National Park in Borno and Yobe states.
Others are Okomu National Park in Edo state; Cross River National Park in Cross River state and Old Oyo National Park inOyo state.
He gave the names, forest reserve area and the locations of the new parks as follows:
- Allawa Game Reserve/Allawa National Park (310 km2) – Niger state
- Apoi Forest Reserve/Apoi National Park (64.77 km2) – Bayelsa state
- Edumenum Forest Reserve/ Edumenum National Park (86.76 km2) – Bayelsa state
- Falgore Game Reserve/Falgore National Park (920 km2) – Kano state
- Hadeja Wetland Game Reserve/ Hadeja Wetland National Park (320 km2) – Jigawa state
- Kampe Forest Reserve/Kampe National Park (652.86 km2) – Kwara state
- Kogo Forest Reserve/Kogo National Park (212.66 km2) – Katsina state
- Marhai Forest Reserve/Marhai National Park (54.00 km2 – Nasarawa state
- Oba Hill Forest Reserve/Oba Hills National Park (52.5 km2) Osun state
- Pandam Forest Reserve/Pandam National Park (244 km2) Plateau state
The Minister said an Executive Bill would be presented to the National Assembly, NASS, to give legal backing to the initiative.
National Parks are areas reserved and managed for conservation of wildlife and natural resources.
The Parks contain rich and diverse varieties of rare endangered species like Elephants, Gorillas, Giraffes, Monkeys, Golden Cats, Hippopotami, crocodiles etc and a host of plant species.
The park service involves surveillance, patrolling, checking illegal activities of poachers in the Parks, enforcement of relevant international treaties and conventions to which Nigeria is a signatory.
They also engage in public enlightenment on the protection and conservation of plants and animals, assisting researchers and searching, arresting and prosecuting offenders.
Benefits of the National Parks include the protection of life support systems such as watersheds and water catchment areas.
“The creation of additional National Parks in Nigeria has become imperative in view of the prevailing effects of climate change across the globe.
“This action is geared towards the United Nation’s policy of placing 25% of its member countries’ landmass under permanent vegetation cover for carbon sequestration to mitigate the effects of climate change and ameliorate other ecological challenges.
“It may interest you to note that Nigeria currently has 6.7% of her total landmass under vegetation cover which is grossly inadequate in line with global best practices,” the minister said.
“The creation of these Parks will no doubt, further create more employment opportunities, alleviate poverty in rural areas and ultimately enhance the country’s revenue profile especially now that Nigeria is seeking to diversify her economy.”
Speaking on insecurity, Mahmood identified the inability of State governments to manage state-owned forest reserves, thus contributing to banditry, cattle rustling, kidnapping among other forms of insecurity.
This, among others, were partly reasons for the establishment of the new national parks.
The Federal Ministry of Environment, Agriculture & Natural Resources and Interior are to partner to ensure the project becomes reality.
