National Park Service Establishes Indigenous Knowledge Desk

The National Park Service (NPK) has established indigenous knowledge desk across its seven national parks and the headquarters to generate and document relevant indigenous knowledge that will be useful for biodiversity conservation in their respective unit Parks.

Alhaji Ibrahim Goni, the Conservator-General of the service disclosed this in a statement signed by his Media Assistant, Mr Yakubu Zull.

Goni inaugurated the officers during a two day forum held at the Akoto Base Camp, Sepeteri, Old Oyo National Park.

The C-G stated that the desk officers were selected based on merit and ability to work effectively on any task given to them.

“You are expected to generate and document relevant indigenous knowledge that will be useful for biodiversity conservation in their respective unit Parks.

“We are taking measures to reposition the national park, to meet world standards so we must capture the indigenous challenges to be able to apply indigenous solutions to them as well’’.

He enumerated the problems that necessitated the creation of indigenous desk to include population growth and unsustainable resource consumption.

“Climate change and global warming, invasive alien species, over-exploitation of natural resources and environmental degradation.

“So to curb the menace of these environmental challenges, the management must integrate indigenous knowledge as means to complement conservation efforts already established.”

Henry Ndoma, the Conservator of Park, Old Oyo National Park had in his welcome remark thanked the C-G for selecting his park  for the hosting of the first meeting of  indigenous knowledge desk officers.

Highlight of the event included the C-G’s inspecting of a quarter guards, mounted by officers at the Park.