The new trainees and some officials.
By Anietie Akpan
The Panacea for Developmental and Infrastructural Challenges for Africa Initiative (PADIC-Africa) has so far trained 120 Eco-Guards to check the increasing threat of illegal logging and forest exploitation in the Ekuri rainforest of Akamkpa Local Government Area (LGA) in Cross River State.
In the latest training programme, the Executive Director of Panacea for Developmental and Infrastructural Challenges for Africa Initiative (PADIC-Africa), Dr. Martins Egot, said they successfully organized a five-day intensive training (March 16 to March 20 for 20 eco-guards drawn from the New Ekuri community in the State.
The training forms part of PADIC-Africa’s broader initiative to strengthen community-led forest protection systems across the state as he stated that the participating eco-guards are in addition to the over 100 community-based forest defenders established by the organization in forest communities across Cross River State.
Designed to enhance their operational capacity, the training covered critical areas including anti-poaching strategies, forest surveillance and patrol techniques, intelligence gathering, conflict management, and basic first aid. These skills are essential in equipping the eco-guards to effectively respond to the growing challenges of illegal logging, unauthorized mining, and other environmental threats within the Ekuri forest.
Speaking during the training, Dr. Egot who is also the Community Leader of New Ekuri, emphasized the importance of community ownership in conservation efforts, noting that “local participation remains one of the most effective strategies for safeguarding natural ecosystems”.
He reiterated PADIC-Africa’s commitment to protecting the Ekuri forest and preserving the rich biodiversity of Cross River State for future generations.
The training he said, “marks a significant step toward strengthening grassroots environmental governance and reinforces the role of local communities as frontline defenders of Nigeria’s remaining tropical forests”.
PADIC-Africa therefore called on government agencies, conservation partners, and the general public to support ongoing efforts aimed at protecting the Ekuri forest and promoting sustainable natural resource management.
