The Abia State Government has commenced moves to establish what could become the first national park in the South-East geopolitical zone.
Governor Alex Otti has directed the state Commissioner for Environment, Philemon Asonye Ogbonna, to collaborate with the National Park Service and environmental experts to identify a suitable location for the proposed park.
Otti gave the directive on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, when he received a delegation from the Governing Board of the National Park Service at his office.
The governor said Abia had 19 forest reserves, with 18 currently available for consideration, adding that the resources could provide a starting point for the proposed project.
He stressed the need for greater attention to environmental conservation and the protection of the state’s natural resources.
According to Otti, the government would constitute a committee, headed by the Commissioner for Environment and comprising climate change and environmental experts, to work towards the successful establishment of the park.
He assured the National Park Service delegation of the state government’s support for the initiative, describing it as timely.
The governor disclosed that he had earlier approved a request by the Environment Commissioner for the tracing and identification of forest reserves across Abia.
“Clearly, there is somewhere to start from,” Otti said.
He emphasised that environmental conservation remained essential despite advances in technology, noting that nature could not be completely controlled by human ingenuity.
“Nature is something you cannot do away with. Sometimes, when you think you have overcome nature through technology, nature will still rise. That is why conservation is very important,” he said.
Otti reiterated his administration’s commitment to policies and programmes aimed at promoting environmental sustainability and preserving Abia’s natural heritage.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Governing Board of the National Park Service, Kingsley Ononogbu, commended the governor for his achievements in the state over the past three years.
Ononogbu said the delegation was in Abia to remind Otti of his earlier commitment to establishing a national park in the state.
He lamented that the South-East remained the only geopolitical zone without a national park, describing the situation as an omission that needed to be addressed.
“The South-East has zero in having a national park. This is a glaring omission that must be corrected, and Abia State, under your leadership, is best positioned to pioneer this change,” he said.
The National Park Service chairman said the proposed park would provide opportunities for people from the region while promoting greater inclusion in the management and development of the country’s conservation resources.
He further highlighted the potential economic benefits of the project, including employment opportunities, increased revenue, investment attraction, improved security and reduction in criminal activities.
Ononogbu appealed to the state government to identify an appropriate forest or game reserve for possible conversion into a national park.
He also urged the government to establish a committee that would work with the National Park Service and submit a formal proposal to either the Minister of Environment or the Conservator-General of the National Park Service.
The Commissioner for Environment and other members of the Abia State Executive Council attended the meeting.
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