Michael Olugbode in Abuja
The United Nations (UN) yesterday decried unlawful commerce in wildlife and forest product, insisting that low enlightenment, weak laws and implementation amongst different gaps proceed to impede efficient prosecutions of offenders.
Talking at this 12 months’s commemoration of the World Wildlife Day (WWD), themed: “Connecting Individuals and Planet: Exploring Digital Conservation”, in Abuja, the Nation Consultant, United Nations Workplace on Medicine and Crime (UNODC), Oliver Stolpe, stated two thirds of all seizures involving Nigeria had been reported by the authorities of different international locations.
“This implies that interception capabilities nonetheless have to be strengthened, whereas enhanced info alternate and cooperation with related authorities in international locations of origin, transit and vacation spot is important,” he stated.
He added whereas quoting the UNODC 2033 report that: “Nigeria is a key transit hub and consolidation level for varied types of unlawful commerce in wildlife and forest merchandise, particularly for pangolin, ivory and rosewood.
“These merchandise are sourced each from Nigeria in addition to from different international locations within the area together with Cameroon, Gabon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Cote d’Ivoire and Benin Republic.”
In accordance with UNODC’s World Wildlife Seizures Database, he stated there have been greater than a 1000 data between 2011 and 2020 which point out Nigeria as a supply, transit or vacation spot nation.
“One other discovering of the analysis means that armed teams are more and more concerned within the unlawful harvesting and trafficking of rosewood, with 9 park rangers shedding their lives in violent encounters with individuals concerned in unlawful logging within the Gashaka-Gumti Nationwide Park. normally, it seems that unlawful logging actions proceed, regardless of the 2018 commerce suspension of rosewood from Nigeria,” he stated.
The UN physique known as on non secular and conventional leaders to companion with the federal government in enlightening Nigerians on the significance of preserving and defending Nigeria’s wealthy biodiversity.
Additionally, in commemoration of the World Wildlife Day celebration, the Minister of Setting, Balarabe Lawal, emphasised the significance of digital innovation in conserving biodiversity and defending wildlife.
Abbas who made the disclosure in Abuja, highlighted the numerous function of know-how in safeguarding the planet’s extraordinary biodiversity.
In accordance with him, there may be have to leverage technological developments to fight unlawful wildlife commerce, mitigate habitat loss, and tackle the impacts of local weather change.
As well as, the Meals and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) Nation Staff Chief, Dr. Otto Muhinda, emphasised the significance of recognising rising and re-emerging illnesses, as they pose a major risk to world well being.
He underscored the necessity for coordinated efforts to stop outbreaks and talked about the collaborative initiatives undertaken by world organisations such because the FAO and the United Nations Setting Programme.
Drawing consideration to Nigeria’s personal challenges, Muhinda cited examples of zoonotic illnesses prevalent within the nation, together with Lassa fever and anthrax. He emphasised that wildlife serves as a reservoir for most of the illnesses, with 60 per cent of zoonotic illnesses originating from animals.
Additionally, the federal authorities with a purpose to guarantee a more healthy, cleaner, and extra sustainable setting on Tuesday inaugurated the Working Group on Environmental Requirements for the Sustainable Procurement Environmental and Social Requirements Enhancement (SPESSE) Challenge
Inaugurating the undertaking in Abuja, Lawal, defined that the undertaking was a collaboration of the World Financial institution and the federal authorities via the Federal Ministry of Setting, Finance, Finances and Nationwide Planning.
“You will need to notice that this undertaking’s objectives align seamlessly with President Bola Tinubu’s imaginative and prescient for a extra clear procurement course of. Transparency is the cornerstone of fine governance, and by enhancing our environmental and social requirements, we’re taking a major step in the direction of reaching this goal.
“ Moreover, this initiative is integral to our broader objectives of enhanced capability for world competitiveness, financial development and job creation,” he stated.
