FG to partner communities on biodiversity conservation

The Federal Government has concluded arrangements aimed at involving local communities in the area of sustainable conservation of wildlife.

Already, National Park Service (NPS) has started working out modalities to create awareness and encourage the public to stop the destruction of biodiversity in the country.

Minister of Environment, Suleiman Zarma, who revealed this during a visit to Conservator- General of NPS, Ibrahim Goni, in Abuja said discussions are ongoing to improve relationship with host communities.

He added that the government was planning building synergy with them to ensure that both are serving the same purpose and have common grounds that we need to cover.

“We have to do that arrangements, it is not an option, rather we are collaborating with stakeholders, and relevant agencies under the ministry. This is non-negotiable in order to move forward.”

Zarma explained: “ We can stop poachers from coming into the parks. It would mean spending money to train them in the act of living and protecting wildlife in their domain.

According to him, the government wanted to bring them on board, engage them to build community that could coexist with wildlife, and to contribute to preserving the environment.

On his part, NPS Conservator-General, Ibrahim Goni reiterated their plans for the preservation of wildlife, adding that they would work with local communities to conserve nature.

He noted that this would address current threats such as wildlife poaching, wild fire, and environmental degradation, and it would offer increased communities involvement in conservation.

“We have sponsored few community nurses because sometimes when the government transfers medical personnel to these areas they do not response immediately,’ he stressed.

Conservator-general argued that they are looking at conservation through sustainable farming to see how to improve farmers’ skills so that a small area of land could yield more for them.