The 2023 world wildlife day has emphasized the importance of preserving nature’s environment, during the commemoration held in Benin, the Edo State capital over the weekend.
Ogba Zoological Garden and Nature Park, Benin City played host to stakeholders across the Wildlife, Forestry, and Conservation Biology sectors who converged to mark the 10th anniversary of the UN celebration, with the theme, “Partnership for Conservation”
The UN promulgated March 3rd of every year as the World Wild Life Day celebration and the very first celebration turned out to be March 3rd, 2014
According to the report, the 2023 World Wildlife Day (WWD) commemoration is of huge significance because it coincides with the 50th anniversary of the signing of Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) on 3rd March 1973.
Osasere Evbuomwan, the Edo State Commissioner for Environment and Sustainability, while speaking through the permanent secretary of the Ministry, Mr. U. Edionwe noted that as part of a global community, whatever is done to the environment and the livelihood, people are the direct beneficiaries or recipients of the consequences.
He enunciated the efforts of the present administration of Governor Godwin Obaseki to revamp forestry and Wildlife management in the State, especially in the area of regeneration of the much-depleted forest reserves, pointing out that Edo State government has been very strategic in engaging the preservation of the natural endowment.
He added, “Only last year the law establishing the Edo State Forestry Commission was signed into Law, the Commission is now working to ensure how to restore our Forest Reserve to make sure that the floral populations of our respective forests are regenerating.
“All the while we are focused on livelihood and our entitlement and over the years we have forgotten that our livelihood needs to be predicated on a sustainability plan that all of us, even generations yet to come, will be able to say we inherited from our forebears.
The government, he said, was optimistic that with sustained efforts, its desire to safeguard the forests and the valued species would be achieved.
“The earlier we start to regenerate, the earlier we start to repopulate, the earlier we start to put to plan with the basic knowledge we have about the ecosystem our food chain and our food plan, how all of us relate and how direct we derive from one another it will be better for us” he said.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Arts, Culture, and Tourism who represented the Commissioner of the Ministry, Barr Osarogiuwa Iryn also graced the occasion along with their respective delegations.
In her goodwill message, Barr Osarogiuwa underscored the importance of Heritage Conservation as the key resource for tourism development.
Earlier, the chairman of the occasion and Head of the Department of Forestry Resources and Wildlife Management at the University of Benin, Prof (Mrs) E. G. Oboho, and enjoined stakeholders to remain committed to enduring partnerships that drive progress.
Gideon Emelue, the keynote speaker and professor of Wildlife Management, also of the University of Benin called for a new paradigm to change the adverse narrative in the Conservation of our endangered wildlife species and habitats. He lamented the uncontrolled harvesting and open display of wildlife species, including those endangered, in the endemic bushmeat trade.
On his part, a Professor of Botany at the University of Benin, Emmanuel I. Aigbokhan, called for the incorporation of Conservation Education in schools’ curricula.
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