Gov’t Should Take Advice from Professionals – Prof, Chuyong.

“I think it is high time the government takes advice from professionals because if I propose to the government that looks at this aspect which is not being covered, will it be taken on board?” Prof. Chuyong George, the Head of Department for Botany and Plant Physiology in the University of Buea, questioned in an interview granted this reporter, recently.

Speaking on the heels of the launching of the Cameroon Mountains Conservation Network (CamCoN) at the ERuDeF Institute of Biodiversity and Non-Profit Studies, Professor Chuyong explained that the depletion of plants, amphibians, reptiles, animals and biodiversity in general is due the ineffective implementation of existing laws in Cameroon

“ If you look at our policies in Cameroon, they are all very very good. The key problem which I have when it comes to policy related to biodiversity conservation in Cameroon is at the level of implementation. Cameroon is a signatory to several conventions and each of those conventions has terms which must be met by our own government. We ask ourselves, does our government really meet up with some of these terms? Yes they meet some but not all of them and some of those ones not met, may be key to our biodiversity protection” he expounded

Taking the case of protected area creation in Cameroon, the university don wonder if the government takes into consideration the surface area of each site before dispatching Eco-guards to carry out surveillance.

“When you establish a national park,  ask yourself if all the units etc are there; look at the surface area of the national park, are the number of eco-guards able to keep surveillance all month round? Again, looking at the budgetary allocations, funding may be going to areas that have no consequences in the proper management of the park” the Senior Researcher observed.

He implored the government to open up to researchers and professionals so for new discoveries that can help in policy formulation.

By B. Shancho Ndimuh