The governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, has disclosed the plan by the executive arm of government to send a forestry bill to the Edo State House of Assembly for consideration, to ensure protection of the forest reserves in the state.
The governor made this known while addressing the conservator of the Okomu National Park, Mr. Augustine Obekpa during his visit to the park in Udo, Ovia South-West Local Government Area of the state.
Okomu National Park is the smallest of the seven National Parks in Nigeria and was gazetted from the former Okomu Forest reserve in 1935 as a rainforest ecosystem and the last habitat for many endangered species.
Edo State Fights Deforestation, seizes over 2000 Logs
The park is getting reduced in size because villages are encroaching it, while powerful corporations are also involved in plantation development and logging concessions around the park, leading to continuous shrinkage and is now less than one third of its original size.
Obaseki added that the state under his leadership will partner the Federal Government through National Park Service for adequate management of the Park by revitalizing the park and strengthen security in the area.
Edo Community Confronts Multinational Agro Company Over Land Acquisition
“We are going to be sending a forestry bill to the Edo State House of Assembly for consideration next week. We will make sure that we expand the law beyond forestry assets to also cover the natural assets found around the forest.
He pledged to visit the Minister of Environment to offer her a certain proposal to allow the Edo State Government to jointly manage the park with the Federal Government, by increasing the number of rangers and park officers to protect the park and some other reserves, particularly the Okumo and the Gelegele Reserves.
