The Conservator of Park (CP), Old Oyo National Park, Tesleem Kareem, has called for collective efforts to protect the nation’s biodiversity and endangered species for healthier living.
Kareem stated this on Thursday in an interview at the park in Oyo town.
He says biodiversity, encompassing plants and animals, includes hydrological resources, whose maintenance ensures that the surrounding and supporting communities get supplied with clean water.
According to him, the benefits of protecting biodiversity outweigh the immediate gratification that poachers or those engaging in illegal activities derive from their selfish acts.
“The trees they are cutting provide shade and ensure that the river is sustainable; all these would be theirs to enjoy.
“Then, for food security, the park’s resources have been the bedrock of those things that aid agriculture and crop planting across the villages.
“In terms of pollination, for crops to fruit and produce good yields, pollinators such as the insects are needed, and they are born within the park.
“They are the ones fertilising or pollinating most of the crops being planted,” he said.
He says the park, with about 115 supporting communities, provides residents with about 95.6 per cent of the park’s employment opportunities.
These communities, he said, are spread across 10 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Oyo State.
Old Oyo National Park is about 2,512 square kilometres and connects towns such as Saki, Iseyin, Igboho, Sepeteri, Tede, Kishi, and Igbeti.
He underscored the need for more support from stakeholders, including kings and traditional rulers, to protect the park and promote its activities.
According to the CP, the park has greatly increased economic activities and enhanced cultural exposure and exchange of its immediate communities, hence the need to keep it existing and thriving.
“Tourists and students from all over the world come to the park for recreation, occupying most of our accommodations, hotels, and so on, sited by members of the communities.
“Even some of our members of staff working within the supporting communities get married to their residents.
“So, we are working together, employing, sensitising, and advising them to continue to partner with us,” said the CP.
Although he said the Federal Government (FG) had always supported the park’s activities, he asked for increased budgetary allocations.
Kareem said that while the funds were being used judiciously, more funding would be helpful because of the increasing tasks of the park, especially in the development of modern facilities.
He also called on individuals, private institutions and Non-Governmental Organisations to partner with the park because of its uniqueness and overall benefits to humanity.
“Outside the fact that we are promoting, protecting, conserving, and preserving biodiversity, we are still promoting the culture of the people.
“So, we are appealing to all stakeholders, as this park, with its natural resources, is a capital-intensive organisation,” he said.
He assured that a viable partnership would bring about effective park management, guaranteeing a great future for the state and the country.
NAN
