By Isaac Mission

The Abia State Government has commenced moves to establish what could become the first national park in Nigeria’s 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 specialists to identify an appropriate site for the proposed project.

Otti gave the directive on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, when he received officials of the National Park Service at his office in Umuahia.

The governor disclosed that Abia has 19 forest reserves, with 18 currently available for assessment as possible locations for the park. He said protecting the state’s forests and natural resources remained an important part of his administration’s environmental agenda.

According to him, the state will set up a dedicated team headed by the Commissioner for Environment and supported by climate and environmental experts to coordinate efforts towards establishing the park.

Otti pledged the government’s support for the initiative, describing the proposal as timely and consistent with the need to strengthen environmental conservation.

He recalled that he had previously approved a request from the Environment Ministry to trace and document the locations of forest reserves across Abia, adding that the exercise would provide a foundation for determining the most suitable site.

The governor also emphasised the importance of preserving nature, noting that technological development could not eliminate the need for environmental protection.

Earlier, the Chairman of the National Park Service Governing Board, Kingsley Ononogbu, praised the governor’s administration and appealed to him to fulfil his earlier commitment to establishing a national park in Abia.

Ononogbu said the South-East remained the only geopolitical zone without a national park, describing the situation as a gap that should be addressed.

He argued that Abia was well positioned to lead the process, noting that the proposed park could improve the region’s inclusion in national conservation initiatives while creating employment opportunities.

Beyond conservation, Ononogbu said a national park could generate revenue for the state, attract investment and strengthen local economic activity. He also linked the project to improved security and efforts to reduce crime in surrounding communities.

He advised the state to select an appropriate forest or game reserve that could be developed into a national park, establish a committee to work with the National Park Service and submit a formal proposal to the Federal Ministry 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.