Monrovia – Barely a week following the official launch of the Grebo-Krahn National Park in Zwedru, Grand Gedeh County, the Management of the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) over the weekend likewise officially inaugurated the Gola National Park in Kongba District, Gbarpolu County graced by an array of collaborating partners and local government officials thus bringing to three the number of national parks Liberia proudly owns consistent with global quest of biodiversity conservation.
The first park includes the Sapo National park established by law in 1983 during the regime of the People’s Redemption Council and now the Grebo-Krahn and Gola national parks both of which were approved by an act of the National legislature of Liberia.
Officiating the launch on behalf of FDA Managing Director, C. Mike Doryen, the Deputy Managing Director for administration Benjamin Tennesse PLewon lauded the efforts and cooperation of the citizens of Gbarpolu and Grand Cape Mount Counties which resulted to the successful establishment of the park describing it as a milestone as far as the Liberian forest sector project is concerned specifically the conservation component.
Mr. Plewon expressed FDA’s gratitude to all those who have over the years helped to making the dream a reality and paid heartfelt tribute to all collaborating partners, Wild Chimpanzee Foundation FFI, GIZ/Ambero and especially the Society for the Conservation of Nature of Liberia. He also said President George Weah was happy over the pace at which Liberia’s commitment to protecting the forest and biodiversity was being implemented by the FDA management and the partners and extended the president’s warmest greetings to the citizens and all alike for their efforts demonstrated in the process.
He also encouraged the citizens to be law abiding and said the establishment of the Park in the region will create job opportunities for citizens, most especially the youth and the incoming generation. “By reserving protected species, it will be good for the future generation to see some existing animals of our generation, when those animals are killed, the generation to come will not be opportune to see those wildlife that existed in our generation”, he stressed.
The Deputy Managing Director for Operations Mr. Joseph J. Tally for his part saluted those he called patriotic men and women who stood firm to ensure that the park was established in Gbarpolu and Grand Cape Mount Counties. He emphasized the historic nature of the event given the presence of delegates from the EU, America, Asia, Africa and parts of the world to witness the launching occasion.
In remarks Mr. Harrison S. Karnwea Sr. Board Chairman designate, thanked the newly appointed management team at the FDA for moving fast in getting things done consistent with the estimated dream and vision of the entity. According to him the arrangement that has finally resulted into the establishment of the Gola National Park was initiated by the governments of Liberia and Sierra Leone during the regimes of President Ellen Johnson Sireaf of Liberia and President Ernest Bai Koromah of Sierra leone noting that because of this arrangement the forest had been reserved and no damage was caused to it. He said the reserving of the rich forest in Liberia is not to only benefit the western world which is sending donor funding to get the forest conserved, but it will also benefit Liberia, most especially citizens in the park areas and the future generation to come. Mr. Karnwea, extended thanks and appreciation to the four Senators of the two Counties Gbarpolu and Grand Cape Mount, for encouraging citizens in the counties to accept the establishment of the park.
He admonished partners to take the Gola National Park very serious; because according to him government has set aside the rich forest so that the livelihood of the people in the county can be improved including benefits such as Hospital, School and maintenance of infrastructure build on the facilities of the Park and youth in the District must go to school as far as college so that when their lives improve they will not think of going in to their forest to cause damage.
Mr. Karnwea also prayed for FDA to gain her autonomous status to enable the management independently and effectively drive its vision and agenda smoothly. He suggested the training of more forest rangers to police the forest as the only possible way to protect the forest from poachers and illegal minners.
Also making remarks the Paramount Chiefs of the two Chiefdoms ( Kongba and Porkpa), Paramount Chief John Try and Paramount Chief Jamartu Watyan promised to ensure that the children in their Chiefdoms abide by every rule and regulation governing the Gola National Park. The two Chiefs were gowned by the lead partner in the area, the Society for the Conservation of Nature of Liberia for their tireless efforts in the process.