Get Guardian on GoogleJoy and excitement have enveloped communities surrounding Gashaka-Gumti National Park in Gashaka Local Government Council of Taraba State following the commissioning of three newly constructed primary schools and a Women Development Centre by the Africa Nature Investors (ANI) Foundation, in a development expected to transform education, women’s empowerment and rural livelihoods in the area.
The commissioning ceremonies, which attracted government officials, traditional rulers, community leaders, teachers, parents and schoolchildren, as observed by The Guardian, marked another significant milestone in efforts to improve the living conditions of host communities while strengthening local participation in environmental conservation.
The projects, supported by the European Union (EU), comprise Dadin Kowa Primary School, Mayo-Selbe II Primary School, Gashaka Primary School and a Women Development Centre located in Tonga, Bodel. They form part of ANI Foundation’s broader intervention to promote sustainable development alongside wildlife protection and environmental preservation.
Speaking at the ceremonies, Executive Director of ANI Foundation, Mr. Tunde Morakinyo, said the organisation was deliberately expanding its interventions beyond environmental conservation to address the pressing social and economic challenges confronting communities around the national park.
According to him, the construction of the three primary schools reflects the foundation’s determination to tackle educational disadvantages in remote settlements by providing children with improved access to learning facilities. He disclosed that plans had also been concluded to construct three additional classroom blocks in communities across Gashaka Local Government Area.
Morakinyo explained that the foundation’s commitment to community development extended to other livelihood interventions, including beekeeping programmes for local farmers, vaccination of thousands of cattle and initiatives designed to provide residents with sustainable sources of income without putting additional pressure on the park’s natural resources.
On the Women Development Centre, he said the facility was established to strengthen women’s economic independence by providing opportunities for vocational training, practical skills acquisition, entrepreneurship and other income-generating activities. Women from Serti, Bodel, Goje and Mayo-Selbe are expected to benefit from the initiative.
For the Conservator of Gashaka Gumti National Park, Mr. George Karngong, the commissioning of the facilities represents a major achievement in the partnership between ANI Foundation and the National Park Service, particularly in linking conservation objectives with the welfare and development of surrounding communities.
Karngong explained that the Women Development Centre would provide a common platform for women to engage in vocational training, cooperative activities, agricultural processing and entrepreneurship. He added that the newly constructed schools would complement the Taraba state Government’s free and compulsory education policy by improving access to basic education.
He further identified scholarships, construction of classrooms and teachers’ quarters, provision of potable water, cattle vaccination, alternative livelihood programmes, volunteer ranger initiatives and environmental restoration as some of the foundation’s other interventions aimed at improving community welfare and supporting conservation.
The Conservator maintained that sustainable conservation could not be achieved through law enforcement alone, stressing that the active involvement and cooperation of host communities remained essential to protecting the park. He appealed to the Taraba State Government to strengthen operational support for the park through the provision of patrol vehicles, motorcycles, communication equipment and other essential facilities.
Describing Gashaka-Gumti National Park as a strategic national asset, Karngong highlighted its contributions to climate change mitigation, watershed protection, tourism, scientific research, education, employment and economic development, noting that its protection required collective responsibility from government, development partners and residents.
Also expressing satisfaction with the projects, Leader of the European Union Delegation, Iusan Liviu, described the initiative as a positive demonstration of how development partnerships could strengthen institutions and improve the welfare of vulnerable communities. He called on stakeholders to sustain their commitment and cooperation to attract more development opportunities to the area.
Liviu assured that the European Union would continue supporting ANI Foundation’s interventions aimed at improving livelihoods in communities surrounding the national park and strengthening its management. He emphasised that collaboration among government institutions, development organisations and local communities remained critical to achieving lasting results.
Similarly, Taraba State Commissioner for Heritage and Ecotourism, Mr. Titus Nagombe, commended ANI Foundation for its contributions to the development of communities around the park, describing the schools and Women Development Centre as important interventions. He encouraged women in the benefiting communities to maximise the opportunities offered by the new facility.
The Commissioner for Women and Child Development, Mrs. Mary Sinjen, who was the Special Guest of Honour, urged beneficiaries to develop a strong maintenance culture to ensure that the facilities remained functional and continued to serve present and future generations. She also pledged her ministry’s readiness to strengthen collaboration with ANI Foundation to advance women’s empowerment and economic wellbeing.
The Lamdo of Gashaka, Alhaji Zubairu Hammangabdo, speaking on behalf of traditional rulers from Bodel and Mayo-Selbe, acknowledged the foundation’s contributions to community empowerment and development. He appealed to residents to continue supporting the partnership, declaring: “ANI is here for progress. They have impacted positively on our people. Let us support conservation and the development of Gumti National Park.” He also urged development partners to sustain their support for the foundation and the National Park Service.
Beyond the official commendations, women, parents and teachers who spoke with The Guardian described the projects as more than the provision of physical infrastructure, saying they represented renewed hope for children, women and families in the benefiting communities. They noted that investing in education, economic empowerment and sustainable livelihoods would encourage stronger community participation in protecting the natural environment.
As the facilities begin operations, stakeholders expressed optimism that their effective utilisation, proper maintenance and sustained support would improve educational opportunities, expand women’s economic prospects and strengthen the long-term protection of Gashaka Gumti National Park, Nigeria’s largest national park.
