By Sylvanus Viashima, Jalingo
JALINGO – The Lamdo Gashaka HRH Zubairu Hamman Gabdo, first-class Chief of Gashaka local government area of Taraba State has commended the African Nature Investors (ANI) for their efforts in combating desertification in parts of the State.
The monarch who made the commendation during a visit by the ANI team to his palace noted that the rate at which illegal logging and poaching was going on at the Gashaka Gumti National Park was alarming and the intervention of ANI has come in timely to tackle the menace.
He also appreciated the efforts of the organisation at empowering women and youth groups in the area to ensure that they are productively engaged rather than idling around and indulging in criminal activities that were taking a toll on the area.
“The foundation deserves commendation, for the peace and improved security in the communities surrounding the park since ANI Foundation entered into the partnership with the NPS.
“We are happy with what ANI Foundation is doing at Gashaka Gumti National Park. We can see that farmers are now able to go to their farms unlike years before while the lost glory of the park is being restored, with the return of some wild animals that had left due to poaching threats.
“Other notable areas through which everyone is benefitting from ANI include the reduction in the killing of wild animals, banditry is no longer the order of the day because of the improved security in and around the park while some of our people have also benefited through employment opportunities” the Lamdo said.
According to ANI officials, “desertification is a tagline that resonates deeply with African Nature Investors Foundation (ANI), an African-led not-for-profit organisation working with partners, communities and governments to protect Nigeria’s biodiversity. The foundation, in partnership with the National Park Service (NPS), manages the Gashaka Gumti National Park in Taraba and Adamawa States as well as the Okomu National Park in Edo State.
“Across the world, more than 2 billion people are affected by desertification and drought, two of the major problems identified by ecology experts. Hitting closer to home is the fact that the African continent is one of the most affected, and Nigeria, particularly vulnerable. The consequences are all around us – land degradation, water scarcity, loss of biodiversity, food insecurity and the perennial issues of displacement and migration.
“As one of the organisations facing the challenges, ANI Foundation is working tirelessly to combat some of these issues in her area of operation. With strategic actions focusing on preventing the cutting of trees and deforestation, poaching of animals, pollution of rivers and streams and protecting the environment in and around Gashaka Gumti National Park. Due to the patrols of rangers across the park to stop illegal logging, mining and the poaching of animals, there has also been a dramatic improvement in security and a decrease in kidnappings, banditry and cattle rustling”.
Our Correspondent reports that ANI Foundation is a Nigerian not-for-profit organisation working with communities and governments to protect large scale landscapes with outstanding biodiversity value by providing hands-on protected area management including community engagement, ranger-led law enforcement, and enterprise planning support delivered through long-term management and partnership agreements. ANI’s objective is to protect Nigeria’s incredible biodiversity while demonstrating that conservation can support local economic development through the long-term co-management of protected areas. The foundation currently works in two landscapes – Gashaka Gumti National Park in Taraba and Adamawa States and the Okomu National Park in Edo State.
