Preserving Ecosystem : Repentant Forest Users Empowered

Thursday March 31, 2022, marked a new chapter for 69 repentant illegal forest users ranging from poachers, porters, guides, timber exploiters etc. who completed a nine-month training session at the Cameroon Opportunity Industrialisation Centre (COIC) Buea. Previously, their cutting of trees and hunting animals in the Mount Cameroon National Park, Korup National Park, Bakossi and Mbo National Parks were depleting an already endangered species of plants and animals. Then the Programme for the Sustainable Management of Natural Resources for the South West Region (PSMNR-SWR) cajoled them to abandon the illegal forest exploitation in favour of gainful skills acquisition at COIC which culminated with their graduation on March 31. The trainees in two separate batches with nine months each of studies acquired skills in Auto Mechanics, Information and Communication Technology, Wood Work, Metal Fabrication, Building and Construction and Hotel Management. Elinge Marie Limunga, COIC Programme Director, said the trainees have been impacted with practical oriented knowledge and have equally developed marketable skills. Orock Thomas, South West Regional Delegate for Employment and Vocational Training expressed gratitude to PSMNR-SWR to have provided Cameroonian...