Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, OFR, has approved the establishment of the first National Park in the South-East, to be located in Abia State.
Governor Otti gave the approval on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, when he received a delegation from the National Park Service, led by the Chairman of its Governing Council, Dr. Kingsley Ononogbu, at his office.
The Governor assured the delegation of the State Government’s full support for the initiative, describing it as timely and important to environmental conservation.
Otti disclosed that he had earlier in the day approved a request by the Commissioner for Environment for the tracing and identification of forest reserves across the state.
According to the Governor, Abia has 19 forest reserves, 18 of which are currently available for consideration. He said this presents an opportunity to establish at least one conservation area in each of the state’s 17 Local Government Areas.
“Coincidences just keep happening. Earlier this morning, I approved a request from the Honourable Commissioner for Environment for the tracing of forest reserves. Clearly, there is somewhere to start from,” Governor Otti said.
To drive the process, the Governor directed the Commissioner for Environment to work with the National Park Service and relevant experts to identify a suitable location for the proposed park.
He stressed the importance of environmental conservation and the need to preserve the state’s natural resources.
Governor Otti also announced that the State Government would constitute a team, led by the Commissioner for Environment and comprising climate change and environmental experts, to facilitate the successful establishment of the park.
“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,” the Governor stated.
The Governor thanked the National Park Service for the initiative and congratulated ACG Ugochukwu Michael on his elevation to the rank of Assistant Conservator-General.
He reiterated his administration’s commitment to initiatives that promote environmental sustainability and protect Abia State’s natural heritage.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Governing Council of the National Park Service, Dr. Kingsley Ononogbu, commended Governor Otti for what he described as his achievements over the past three years.
Ononogbu said the delegation’s visit was to remind the Governor of his earlier commitment to establishing a National Park in Abia State, noting that the absence of a National Park in the entire South-East had left the region behind.
“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,” Dr. Ononogbu said.
He added that establishing a National Park in Abia would promote greater inclusion and create career opportunities for the people of the South-East.
Beyond its ecological value, Ononogbu said the proposed park would provide significant socio-economic benefits to Abia State, including job creation, revenue generation, investment attraction, enhanced security and crime reduction.
He urged the Abia State Government to identify a suitable forest or game reserve for conversion into a National Park, constitute a committee to work with the National Park Service, and forward a formal proposal for the establishment of the park to the Minister of Environment or the Conservator-General of the National Park Service.
The Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Philemon Asonye Ogbonna, and other members of the State Executive Council were also present at the meeting.
