Ahead of the International Day of Forests on Thursday, March 21, the Director General of the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN), Professor Zachariah Buba Yaduma, has encouraged state governments to recruit more personnel who can be trained as forest guards to secure the nation’s biodiversity inside the forests.
He made the remark as the House of Representatives Committee on Environment paid a two-day familiarisation visit to FRIN headquartered in Ibadan, Oyo State on March 14 and 15. This was the first visit of the House Committee to FRIN under the current dispensation.
Honourable Ginger Obinna Onwusibe, representing Isiala Ngwa North and South federal constituency of Abia State, spoke on behalf of the chairman of the committee, Honourable Pondi Julius Gbadojor. He said, “We are impressed by what we have seen. There are a lot of things which we have seen which we did not know existed in this country. That is why it is necessary for the parliament to engage with the executive branch of government especially these agencies and parastatals to know what their challenges are and to know how parliament can appropriate adequately for them.”
He recognised the need for upgrade of some of the equipment used at FRIN, as well as other challenges the institute faces including funding.
According to him, “We have seen a lot and we take the message back to the parliament.”
Professor Yaduma in his remarks during the visit stated that “There is no other institute that has been mandated to train forest guards except FRIN. We started in 1939 as the Federal College of Forestry, Ibadan. Now, it continues in Jos.”
He encouraged state governments to which lands, and consequently forests, have been entrusted to to send in more persons who can be trained to serve as forest guards.
The International Day of Forests was established on the 21st day of March, by resolution of the United Nations General Assembly on November 28, 2013.
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