Abia State governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has given a nod to the establishment of the first National Park in the South-East, to be sited in Abia State.
The governor gave the nod when he received a delegation from the National Park Service, led by the Chairman of its Governing Council, at his office in Umuahia.
Governor Otti assured the delegation of the government’s full support for the initiative, describing it as timely, noting that he had earlier in the day approved a request from the Commissioner for Environment for tracing and identification of forest reserves across the State.
According to the governor, Abia has 19 forest reserves; 18 of which are currently available for consideration. This, he said, provides an opportunity to have at least one conservation area in each of the 17 local government areas.
“Coincidences just keep happening. Earlier this morning, I approved a request from the Commissioner for Environment for tracing of forest reserves. Clearly, there is somewhere to start from,” Governor Otti said.
To drive the process, the Governor directed the Commissioner for Environment 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.
He further announced that the 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.
“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.
The governor thanked the National Park Service for the initiative and congratulated ACG. Ugochukwu Michael on his elevation to the rank of Assistant Conservator-General. He reiterated his administration’s commitment to initiatives that promote environmental sustainability and protect the State’s natural heritage.