Abia to Host South-East’s First National Park as Otti Approves Establishment

Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has given his full backing to the establishment of the first National Park in Nigeria’s South-East geopolitical zone, a move that ends the region’s long-standing status as the only zone without a national park.

Governor Otti gave the approval on Tuesday while receiving a delegation from the National Park Service, led by the Chairman of its Governing Council, Dr. Kingsley Ononogbu, at his office in Umuahia. He assured the delegation of the state government’s full support for the initiative, describing it as timely. The governor noted that he had earlier in the day approved a request from the Commissioner for Environment for the tracing and identification of forest reserves across the state.

“Coincidences just keep happening. Earlier this morning, I approved a request from the Honourable Commissioner for Environment for the tracing of forest reserves. Clearly, there is somewhere to start from,” Governor Otti said. He disclosed that Abia has 19 forest reserves, 18 of which are currently available for consideration, providing an opportunity to have at least one conservation area in each of the state’s 17 Local Government Areas.

To drive the process, the governor directed the Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Philemon Asonye Ogbonna, to work with the National Park Service and relevant experts to identify a suitable location for the proposed park. He stressed the importance of environmental conservation and the need to preserve the state’s natural resources. Governor Otti also announced that the state government would constitute a team, to be led by the Commissioner for Environment, with the participation of climate change and environmental experts, to ensure the successful establishment of the park.

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“Nature is something you cannot do away with. Sometimes, when you think you have overcome nature through technology, nature will still rise. That is why conservation is very important,” Otti stated.

Earlier in his remarks, the Chairman of the Governing Board of the National Park Service, Dr. Kingsley Ononogbu, commended the achievements of Otti in the last three years. He said the visit was to remind the governor of his earlier commitment to the establishment of a National Park in Abia State, noting that the absence of a National Park in the entire South-East has left the zone behind.

“The South-East has zero in having a national park. This is a glaring omission that must be corrected, and Abia State, under your leadership, is best positioned to pioneer this change,” Ononogbu stated. He added that establishing a park in Abia would create greater inclusion and career opportunities for the sons and daughters of the zone.

Beyond ecological value, Ononogbu noted that the National Park would deliver immense socio-economic benefits to Abia State, including job creation, revenue generation, investment attraction, enhanced security, and crime reduction. He requested that the Abia State Government identify a suitable forest or game reserve for upgrade to a National Park, constitute a committee to work with the Service, and forward a formal proposal for the establishment of the National Park to the Minister of Environment or the Conservator General of the National Park Service.

The Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Philemon Asonye Ogbonna, and other members of the State Executive Council were present at the meeting. Governor Otti reiterated his administration’s commitment to initiatives that promote environmental sustainability and protect the state’s natural heritage.

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