National Parks Service needs more support from stakeholders – Dr Musa Goni

Conservator-General, National Park Service Dr Ibrahim Goni, has called for more support from stakeholders for the seven National Parks across the country.

Goni, made the call in Abuja, while reacting to the material support donated to two of its parks.

The C-G said the support materials were given to the Gashaka Gumti National Park (GGNP) by the Taraba State Government and the Cross River National Park (CRNP) by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS).

Goni said the donations would help the National Parks not to only survive, but thrive as well.

“The donations will definitely help the Parks in their operations, but most importantly, they will encourage more stakeholders to realise that the work of conservation is indeed everybody’s business.

“The ecosystem and wildlife constitute part of this nation’s heritage and this becomes more important in this day of mounting concern over insecurity and climate change.

“I want it to be in the consciousness of Nigerians that we all have our roles to play in our own little way to preserve and conserve nature.

“To this end, we are most grateful to both the Taraba State government and WCS for this invaluable assistance,” Goni said.

He said that Taraba State Government had through its Commissioner for Works, Mr Irmiya Hamman-Julde donated three new motorcycles to the Park.

Goni quoted Hamman-Julde as saying, “the assistance was aimed at supporting the protection activities of the Park and addressing its security challenges.

“The governor has approved the construction of the Mayo-Kam Bridge and is also considering the possibility of providing some communication gadgets to the Park.”

He said that the items were from four different organisations, including: Arcus Foundation, Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund, U.S Fish and Wildlife Service and the Rainforest Trust.

Goni said the items, which included some Park patrol and monitoring equipment, were meant for Okwangwo Division for the protection of Cross River Gorilla.

The C-G said the society expressed hope that more items would be received in the near future for the benefit of Oban Division, and called for proper handling and utilisation of the items.

Goni said the items received include: 10 motorcycles and helmets, 10 sleeping mats, 10 camping tents, three camera traps.

Others are security cases, master lock cables, 32GB memory cards with 18 packs of rechargeable batteries and 30 ponchos. (NAN)