By Ignatius Ushie
Hon. Minister of State, Niger Delta Affairs Ministry, Sharon Ikeazor has joined the Leadership Council of the Elephant Protection Initiative (EPI) Foundation.
A statement made available to Transport Day in Abuja noted that the United Kingdom based foundation is working in consonance with United Nations Environment Assembly that seeks to secure the harmonious coexistence of people and elephants with herds able to travel across their range, strengthening actions for nature to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, combat climate change and support local livelihoods.
Other members of the Leadership Council include the Former President of Botswana, Ian Khama, First Lady of Sierra Leone, Fatima Maada Bio, Former First Lady of Kenya, Margaret Kenyatta, Former Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Hailemariam Desalegn, and Gabon’s Minister of Forests, Oceans, Environment and Climate Change, Lee White.
The Minister, who accepted the invitation recently from the Foundation’s Board to join the Leadership Council, pledged support on steering wildlife conservation policy from within a unique alliance of African countries.
According to the Minister, EPI is dedicated to conserving elephants and ensuring a better future for people who live near them, “and I wholeheartedly share those objectives”, she added.
Welcoming Ikeazor to the Leadership Council, the EPI Foundation’s CEO, John Scanlon A.O, stated that the Leadership Council provides guidance and advice to the Foundation, which comprised eminent African politicians and conservationists.
He explained that the EPI Foundation established in 2014 by the leaders of Botswana, Chad, Ethiopia, Gabon and Tanzania, serves as the secretariat to the EPI, an alliance of 22 African countries with common policies on elephant conservation. Nigeria joined in 2018.
John commended the Minister for being dedicated and highly effective in office, noting that her vast expertise and inspiring vision would be invaluable to the EPI Foundation.
