HOR : Bill To Manage Nig’s Wildlife Scales Through 2nd Reading

A bill aimed at conserving and managing Nigeria’s wildlife has scaled through second reading at the House of Representatives.

The bill, titled the Endangered Species Conservation and Protection Bill is sponsored by
the Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Environment Tersoor Ugbor.

The bill seeks to protect Nigeria’s wildlife and prevent the illegal trade of endangered species

The bill also aims at improving the capacities of law enforcement agencies, give investigators more powers to look into financial matters and conduct operations guided by intelligence, and enable judges to speed up wildlife cases and recover assets.

Leading the debate, Mr. Ugbor, who is also the member Representating Kwande/ Ushongo Federal Constituency of Benue State, emphasized the importance of preserving Nigeria’s natural beauty and habitat, which is threatened by Wildlife and degradation.
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He noted that the bill is a collaborative effort with stakeholders, experts, and the Federal Ministry of Environment to ensure strict penalties for those involved in illegal wildlife trade, a lucrative business that harms the environment.

According to him, the bill aims to align Nigeria with international agreement including the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

The House approved the bill for second reading and referred it to the Committees on Treaties, Protocols, and Agreements, as well as the Committee on Environment, for further consideration.

This move marks a significant step towards protecting Nigeria’s wildlife and ecosystem, and Hon. Ugbor urged his colleagues to support the bill to ensure the conservation of Nigeria’s natural heritage.

Oduyemi Odumade, Edited By Grace Namiji