Abia State Governor Alex Otti has endorsed the creation of the region’s inaugural National Park, a decision made during a meeting with a delegation from the National Park Service on August 11.
Governor Otti assured the visiting officials of his administration’s full backing for the initiative, highlighting its timely significance for environmental conservation in the state. Earlier that day, he had approved a request to trace and identify existing forest reserves across Abia, which boasts 19 reserves, 18 of which are available for consideration as potential locations for the National Park.
“There is clearly a place to start from,” Otti stated, directing the Commissioner for Environment to collaborate with the National Park Service to identify a fitting site for the proposed park. He emphasized the critical nature of preserving the state’s natural resources and the need for conservation efforts.
The Governor announced plans to form a team, led by the Commissioner for Environment, to facilitate the establishment process, involving experts on climate change and environmental care. “Nature is something you cannot do away with; conservation is very important,” he remarked.
During the visit, Chairman of the Governing Council of the National Park Service, Dr. Kingsley Ononogbu, praised Governor Otti’s achievements over the past three years and noted the South-east’s lack of a National Park as a significant gap. He called for collaborative efforts to ensure Abia’s leadership in rectifying this shortfall, underlining the socio-economic benefits a National Park would bring to the region, including job creation and increased investment.
Dr. Ononogbu requested that the Abia State Government identify a suitable forest or game reserve for upgrade to National Park status and submit a formal proposal to relevant authorities. Members of the state executive council, including Commissioner for Environment Mr. Philemon Asonye Ogbonna, were also present during the discussions.
