Wildlife conservation: NESREA, WildAid agree to promote awareness
The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) and WildAid organisation on Thursday resolved to work together to promote effective awareness on wildlife conservation in Nigeria.
Prof. Aliyu Jauro, the Director-General of the agency, made this known when the WildAid team paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja.
Jauro said the partnership would promote awareness on wildlife laws among the public and encourage pride in the wildlife heritage in the country.
According to him, NESREA and WildAid will also work to highlight the social and moral unacceptability of poaching and wildlife smuggling and the negative economic impact that they have in Nigeria.
“The partnership will boost the efforts by the agency to increase citizens’ awareness on the need for wildlife conservation and protection.
“NESREA has continued to promote sensitisation, not just on wildlife protection, but on all aspects of environment challenges, this is to ensure a healthy and cleaner society,” he said.
The director-general said that Nigeria was a signatory to Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
He added that the signatory domesticated the enactment of the Endangered Species Act in 1985, now Endangered Species Control of International Trade and Traffic Amendment Act, 2016.
“The agency has also developed and gazetted the National Environmental Protection of Endangered Species in International Trade Regulations 2011.
“This regulation which targets the protection of wildlife in the country is enforced by NESREA through the clampdown on illicit trade in endangered species.
“The partnership with WildAid will help to publicise the provisions of these laws and regulations for the benefit of citizens,” he said.
Jauro said that NESREA had the mandate to enforce all environmental laws, guidelines, policies, standards and regulations.
He said that the agenccy was also mandated to enforce compliance with provisions of International Agreements, Protocols, Conventions and Treaties to which Nigeria was signatory.
Speaking earlier, Mr Peter Knights, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of WildAid, said that the effort was to take Nigeria to the top of the league in wildlife protection.
According to him, it is important for people to understand the law and know where they can go to when the law is abused,” he said.
By Vivian Emoni
