Okomu National Park seeks community partnership in tackling encroachment

The management of Okomu National Park in Ovia South-West Local Government Area of Edo State is seeking the cooperation and partnership of host communities in protecting the vast natural resources from degradation and extinction.The management of the park said this could be achieved by avoiding logging and farming in the protected areas.Conservator, Okomu National Park, Mr Oladipo Ojo Cornelius, called for the cooperation and partnership while presenting set of 40 double desks and black boards to the authorities of Olodiama Primary School, Inikorogha.Oladipo, who said the gesture was a dividend of the conservation, noted that the corporate mission of the park to protect, manage and regulate the use of the unique forest eco-system could not be attained without the effective support and participation of the host communities.He urged the people of the host communities to change their attitude towards the park officials and that the new management of the park was aware of the numerous infrastructure challenges confronting the communities. 'It is necessary to state here that the National Park Service is not out to deprive the rural communities of their means of livelihood, but a partner in progress to preserve a legacy for future generation,' Oladipo added.He also promised to embark on the demarcation of the southern expansion of the park which, according to him, had since been approved by the government.Responding, Chairman Inikorogha community, Matins Polo, who expressed appreciation to Okomu Park management over their disposition towards advancing the course of education in the community, attributed the upsurge in illegal activities of some youths in the area to years of neglect and deprivation by successive administrations.He said through the prompt intervention of the community leaders, the activities of youths had since been put to rest, just as he pointed out, 'You can see that when people are idle, they are bent to do anything for survival, that is why the issue of kidnapping and militancy came up in the community. We have not felt the impact of government, when you go to the schools, you find out that they are all dilapidated most of which are communal effort and this is why the people feel they have been neglected and went into armed struggle'The desks were received by elders and community leaders including the Ama-Okosuwe of Inikorogha, Chief Edosa Owili on behalf of the school management.
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