JALAY — The Forestry Development Authority in an effort to restore dignity to conserve and preserve endangered species and other forest natural resources with respect to protected area management is poised to clear Sapo park of illegal occupants.
The latest comes following a recent publication of the Liberia Forest Media Watch that uncovered the violation of government ban, resulting in increased illegalities, a year after declaring the park a ‘no go zone’.
Speaking to a reporter recently in an interview, FDA Technical Conservation Manager Jerry Yonmah said there are series of ongoing discussions, considering efforts to clear the park of those illegal operators. He also called on the central government to increase the FDA budget through allocation ahead of the passage of the FY 2025 national budget, which according to him will help to meet some of the burning challenges behind the ill effectiveness of safeguarding the country’s oldest biodiversity hotspot moving forward.
“We are currently holding discussions, and pretty soon we will be moving in to ensure that the park is clear. We are also calling on the central government to increase budgetary support through the national budget, this will help for the smooth running of our operation to enhance effective enforcement and regulations” he said.
Photo of Engendered Species in the park
Over these years, according to Yonmah, Donors partners have been providing support to the FDA, but for now he said the clearing and regulation of the park of illegalities lies within the hands of the government as donor funding is intended for projects and livelihood programs.
“The park is being managed by the FDA, but it is for the government of Liberia. I think with these ongoing illegal activities, the government needs to empower the FDA financially to ensure that calm is restored by removing those illegal occupants, FDA cannot do this on her own” He explained.
The FDA Technical Conservation Manager told LFMW that all revenues collected by the agency are directly deposited into government coffers, adding that the entity doesn’t have control of expending cent toward any activities unless for what is given through the national budget annually.
Jerry Yonmah underscored the need to increase budgetary allotments to the agency, adding that in the absence of funding, nothing could be achieved as a means of regulating the parks.
He disclosed that the agency is considering the decision to recruit more manpower who will serve as rangers to safeguard the park if and only funding is made available by central government, attributing the increased illegalities to weak enforcement and regulation as a result of lack of adequate budgetary support.
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Meanwhile, the FDA official also warned against community members adding foreign nationals to the park to carry out illegal activities. He said while plan is underway to doing the needful, if anyone is caught, the agency will have no regret of taking legal stand that could possibly result to going to jail.
He urged residents surrounding the park to serve as a means of change in aiding the FDA through the protection, adding that the park belongs to them.
However, some locals in the county want the government to clear the area using armed forces, adding it is the only way those illegal occupants will leave for good.
Established in 1983 as a protected area, the Sapo National Park is globally known for its containment of important plants, animals and other valuable resources. The Park remains susceptible to degradation due to the uncontrollable influx of illegal miners aided by residents around the Park despite global attention.
The FDA that is charged with the responsibility to manage the Park has proven less capable of doing so. The Authority has, however, attributed its incapacitation to lack of adequate financial and logistical support to monitor the forest sector.
