By Ebuka Obidinma
The Minister of Environment, Mohammed Abdullahi says the National Park Service Act will be reviewed to reflect the current realities in the world.
Abdullahi who gave the assurance during the World Ranger Day celebration in Abuja, which had the theme “Diversity” said the service’s review of its condition of service is for a better welfare and strengthening the current protection and conservation efforts across national parks.
“Government is doing quite a lot in this regard to ameliorate the challenges confronting the service, especially its rangers, and also mitigate the negative effects of climate change.
“The situation is quite worrisome and the government is not resting on its oars. Appropriate measures to assist the National Park Service (NPS) and indeed the rangers in the course of their work are currently being taken,” he said.
He said that the situation had become extremely worrisome as criminals ruthlessly attacked park rangers with sophisticated weapons such as AK 47 assault rifles; and either maim or kill them in the line of duty.
“I would like to solicit the support and cooperation of other well-meaning individuals and organisations to contribute towards enhancing our biodiversity.
“They should contribute to the welfare of our Park Rangers, as well as the wellbeing of the families of the deceased.
“It is common knowledge that protected areas, particularly national parks across the globe, are bedevilled by serious anthropogenic challenges which may vary in intensity from country to country,” Abdullahi said.
He promised regular paramilitary training with the support of the military and other relevant paramilitary agencies, synergising with national and international NGOs to provide technical and financial support for the NPS.
Abdullahi also promised the park service provision of more patrol vehicles, renovation of existing rangers’ barracks and construction of new ones with regular promotion of officers and men.
Earlier, the Conservator General of the National Park Service, Dr Ibrahim Goni had said that the theme for the 2022 World Ranger Day celebration was very important and apt in view of the critical role park rangers play in protecting and conserving biodiversity.
“As you are all aware, the World Ranger Day is a day set aside by the International Ranger Federation, in collaboration with The Thin Green Line Foundation, to commemorate the rangers killed or injured in the line of duty.
“The rangers are also celebrated for the critical work they do to protect the world’s natural and cultural treasures across the globe.
“It is however sad to also note that, these rangers are always under – appreciated because they work in remote places and are not often in the media spot light,” he said.
Goni said that in order to enhance the performance of park rangers and facilitate their effective protection of parks’ resources, the National Park Service Regulations 2022 has been produced and gazetted.
Also speaking, the Assistant Conservator General, Okedeji Okeyoyin, in his paper, “The Significance of World Ranger Day”, said that rangers are responsible for protecting the national parks and other protected areas.
Okeyoyin noted that these protected areas include the natural resources, ecosystems, and wildlife within them; and the people who visit them.
“The Park Rangers may also serve as law enforcement officers, environmental experts, historians or a combination of the three,” Okeyoyin added.
He said that rangers are also conservation education officers, wildlife extension services, park community relations officers, park interpreters, prosecutors, and researchers.
“Rangers are nature’s unsung heroes that conserve nature and natural environments in diverse geographical locations under the vagaries of changing weather conditions and difficult terrains.
“Rangers working in protected areas all over the world are committed to preserving wildlife and wild natural environments for the benefit of posterity.
“They protect and conserve the diverse forms of life both on land and water using diverse skills and equipment,” Okeyoyin said.
He said that regardless of the regular duties of anyone’s discipline, the goal of all rangers was to protect the park resources for future generations, and to protect park visitors.
