By Adaobi Rhema Oguejiofor
Sahara Group, a leading energy and infrastructure conglomerate, in collaboration with Egbin Power, a power generating company, and the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), an environmental conservation NGO, have started a partnership towards the establishment of a nature reserve in Ikorodu, a coastal city in Lagos.
According to the three partners, the collaboration has become necessary in order to promote environmental sustainability in the area.
Mrs. Ejiro Gray, who is the Director of Governance and Sustainability at Sahara Group, said that the reserve would serve as a sanctuary for animals and plants, as well as a carbon sink to help reduce the effect of climate change.
In her own words, “we are excited at the prospects this partnership holds and the positive impact we expect as Sahara Group continues to lead the charge towards environmental sustainability, especially in Africa where we have our roots.
“We also see huge prospects for socio-economic benefits through ecotourism, air quality control, and urban heat reduction.”
She said that the proposed Nature Reserve would anchor its activities on four thematic programs, which comprise of awareness building and advocacy, environmental education and resource center, ecotourism destination, and preservation of cultural heritage.
Gray pointed out that the nature reserve would also serve as a biological laboratory for research, which she says is an attribute that stakeholders have said can trigger the development of similar reserves in the sub-region.
The Director General (DG) of NCF, Dr. Joseph Onoja, said that the organization was delighted to enter the partnership with Sahara Group and Egbin Power towards preserving the full range of Nigeria’s biodiversity, as well as promoting the sustainable use of natural resources for the benefit of the present and future generations.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Egbin Power, Mokhtar Bounour, while speaking on the partnership, also said that the power firm would continue to play a frontline role in the conservation of the native flora and fauna in the conservation area.