The seven National Parks in the six geo-political zones are about the only remaining viable conservation areas in the country. They have remained so because of the Federal Government’s persistent efforts at preserving the vast variety of fauna and flora resources. Paul Ukpabio examines these parks, their tourism potentials and challenges.
The road signs almost immediately after the historic Jebba Bridge are strange. At least, to first time visitors to New Bussa in Niger State. Unlike the usual road signs, which caution motorists to drive carefully to avoid accidents at a bend or to avoid pedestrians, the road sign here tells you to be wary of cattle-crossing or wild life: The latter, most often could be a lion, baboon, hyena, antelopes, kobs or hippopotamus.
Meanwhile, a large population of Nigerians may not even be aware that such breed of wild animals, still largely co-exist with humans in the savannah forest region of Niger State in a friendly manner.
The Federal Government must actually be praised for the creation of the first National Park, the Kainji Lake National Park in New Bussa. This historically, was achieved with the amalgamation of two former game reserves, Borgu and Zugurma in 1976. And the creation of additional National Parks was further more facilitated by the decree establishing it being reconstituted in later years.
The Park is one out of the seven national parks, which are centrally coordinated and supervised by the Conservator General, Alhaji Haruna Tanko Abubakar from the National Park Service (NPS) Headquarters in Abuja: But the day to day administration of each of the parks is conducted by a Conservator of the Park, who resides around each of the parks for effective administration.
Each of the parks namely Chad Basin, Cross River Gashaka Gumti, Kamuku, Okomu, Old Oyo, Yankari and Kainji, all have their peculiar animal and plant resources. For instance, while a roll call of animals at the Chad Basin National Park may include Giraffe, Hartebeest, Elephant Red-fronted gazelle, Spotted hyena, Jackal, Serval cat, Ceracal, Python, Monitor lizard and various species of snakes, that of the park at Old Oyo consists of Buffon’s kob, Roan Antelope, Western hartebeest, Bush buck, baboon, Patas monkey, Oribi, Grimm’s duiker, lion, Warthog, Water buck, Red Flanked Duiker, Black and white Colobus monkey, Green monkey and others.
The distribution of animals and birds, just like the vegetation at each of the parks, differs from south to north with more animals being sighted in the south probably due to availability of water and food all year round in additional to the vegetation cover which provides shelter.
Also, these parks are endowed with water resources running across most times the breath or length as the case may be: As it is the case with the Kainji lake national park for instance, the stretch of 5340.82sq/km is blessed with the popular Oli River.
But more importantly, is the relationship between the conservation areas in the country with the tourism potentials that could be of great benefit to the people in these locations and visitors to the parks.
To start with, most of the parks are loaded with rich ethno-historical/cultural features of their environment. For instance, a visit to the National Park in Old Oyo is not all about the fauna and floral resources that the park is richly known for. It’s also about a visit to the cultural landmarks of the people, for instance again, it is an opportunity to see and learn about great archaeology in the Oyo-Ile defence wall, the Agbaku rock shelter, the Pythons Cave, Blacksmithing Centre, the town hall, Esu shrine, Ogun shrine, Akesan market and of course historic-political sites like the royal cemeteries at Igboho and Bara, the Asabari Shrine at Saki, sight-seeing of ageless tortoise in Soun of Ogbomoso’s palace and many more.
According to the Conservator General of the National Parks Alhaji Tanko Abubakar, the main objectives for establishing National Parks are: the conservation of selected and representative examples of wildlife communities in Nigeria, the protection of endangered species of wild plants and animals and their habitats, to preserve the culture, historical and archaeological features in the abandoned sites, to protect, preserve, conserve and manage representative samples of indigenous flora and fauna of the south west geographical region of Nigeria, to encourage general interest and education among the public in the knowledge of wild fauna and flora, to encourage the public to visit the National Park in order to enjoy and appreciate the aesthetic, spiritual and ecological values of nature in the maintenance of a healthy environment.
To fulfil the last objective, the parks provides ecotourism infrastructure in form of tourist camps, chalets, restaurant, internet facilities, jeep tracks linking various park locations, camping sites and many more. At a recent workshop, Alhaji Tanko Abubakar and his seven Conservators of each parks, presented a graphical details of the developments that have been taking place at these parks. The presentations highlighted the steady growth rate of visitors to these parks, but however, one noticed that there are still more to be done, not just to attract visitors but also to keep the objectives of setting the parks alive.
While Alhaji Tanko Abubakar extended gratitude to the federal government for continuous support of the parks, funding issues topped the communiqué that eventually emerged at the end of the workshop at the foremost national park. There is no denying the fact that the National Parks are under-funded. While the total Staff strength of the Kainji National Park is 391 for instance, out of this number, 211 are protection staff, with only 151 taking part in anti-poaching patrols in 7 Ranges within the 13 stations of the park: A total number that falls far below the international (IUCN) standard of 1 Ranger per 5000sq/m which by implication should be one ranger per every 5sq/km. “This said the Conservator General, “means, Kainji Lake National Park with an area of 5340.82sq/km requires 1068 patrolling rangers.”
The above inadequacy has therefore been presenting a security issue at all the seven parks: Security lapses which are also occasioned by ignorance on the part of those who do not see the need or reason for this laudable preservation, and those who see an opportunity of hunting this wildlife for food or for sale. These kinds of people are generally known as poachers and from the experiences related to this reporter by some of the workers at the Kainji Park, these poachers, pose great danger as they roam about the forest mostly at night, to catch these animals with dangerous weapons.
Of particular concern as noticed and highlighted by each park conservator, is the incessant clash between cattle graziers/poachers and Park Rangers at each of the parks. And these are the rangers that are supposed to protect the wild life area, and the wild life itself, but who themselves are but too few in number to be effective.
Some of such clashes have been recorded in recent times, and in most cases, resulted in either the maiming or brutal murder of Park Rangers. “It is unfortunate that this year alone, we have lost 3 Rangers to such violent attacks. While these officers died gallantly, we are taking adequate measures to prevent further loss of lives in addition to the provisions made in the Employee’s Compensation Act to cushion the effects of these hazards,” said Alhaji Tanko Abubakar soberly.
It is with regards to the above, that news of the Hon. Minister of Environment, Mrs. Hadiza Ibrahim Mailafiya working assiduously, to achieve the full complement of the Service’s Para-Military Status for the National Parks, was hailed at the workshop, as a laudable effort in the right direction.
“The process has reached an advanced stage; we would like to lend our voice in appealing to the Federal Government to grant the request. This will bring Nigeria National Parks at parity with their counterparts in other parts of the world and further motivate the staff for greater service delivery,” added the Conservator General.
Perhaps, also to be commended would be the recent inauguration of the Steering Committee on the Partial Commercialisation of all the National Parks. On this, workers at the park reasoned, will lead to introduction of reforms that would turn around the eco-tourism fortunes of National Parks, so as to play an active role in the national economy. And ease to some extent, the funds constraint occasioned through the overwhelming needs at the parks.
Alhaji Yakubu Mohammed Kolo, the Conservator of Kainji Lake Park, reiterated this further thus: “We can build a virile National Park system that will turn Nigeria into a preferred destination. The National Park as a key component of economic development in our country has a role to play in attracting direct foreign investments into the country. It is for this reason that the National Park Service is working with stakeholders, to provide the enabling environment to attract both local and international investments. With commercialisation, we will be looking at partnering such stakeholders in areas of more enlightenment programmes, a wider range of publicity campaigns for the parks, to drive tourism as well as ensure the conservation of the parks.”
