Tourism, Forestry Ministries Sign Up To Foster Eco-tourism

The Minister of Tourism and Leisure (MINTOUL) Bello Bouba Maigari, and that of Forestry and Wildlife (MINFOF) Ngole Philip Ngwese, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to foster eco-tourism. 
By Anu Nkeze Paul
The duo signed the MoU, August 11, 2014 at Hotel de Depute in Yaounde.
Following the agreement, the two ministries will work together in a number of areas identified and others deemed necessary to enhance eco-tourism both nationally and internationally. 
The platform will constitute exchange of information and technical knowhow on various expertises by MINTOUL and MINFOF officials. 
“It will equally create an opportunity to share ideas and collectively search for finance to promote eco-tourism,” said Bello Bouba. 
According to the technical document produced by experts of both ministries, cooperation will involve actions like developing strategies to promote eco-tourism in all protected areas of Cameroon and putting in place a national and regional focal point to follow up and evaluate all actions. 
The MoU equally spells out the involvement of the population of the protected areas in all steps, development of sensitization plan, organization of trainings to build the capacities of different actors involved in the eco-tourism chain as well as making parks more attractive, among other actions.
A similar MoU has been programmed between the Ministry of Tourism and Leisure and the Ministry of Environment, Protection of Nature and sustainable Development, with same objectives.
Meanwhile, the Tourism Minister said the MoU falls in line with presidential prescriptions for ministries to form a synergy to work in areas of common interest to achieve set objectives. 
He also affirmed that the initiative was amongst one of the recommendations made recently by Prime Minister Philemon Yang after chairing the National Tourism Council on August 7, 2014, in Yaounde.  
Bello Bouba said given that Cameroon is blessed with natural forests, parks and game reserves, tourism could become a big booster to the economy and create employment.
The Minister, however, cautioned the actors about the need to protect the environment while developing strategies to boost eco-tourism. 
He reiterated that there is need for sustainable development of eco-tourism to avoid degradation of natural eco-system, biodiversity, pollution, climate change and global warming. 
He called for the support of the local population if eco-tourism should thrive in any locality.
As for the Minister of Forestry and Wildlife, the MoU is very timely. 
“Since February 2011 after the famous Bouba Ndjida elephant Massacre, government has spent more than 5 billion francs cfa just to protect wildlife in some conservation wildlife parks in the country. Part of the reason is to encourage eco-tourism now becoming popular worldwide,” said the Ngole, while acknowledging that the MoU will boost activities around most conservation sites in the country.
He also said one of the objectives assigned to them is to ensure that eco-systems and wildlife resources in the country are exploited to the benefit of the State and the local population. 
“I think this platform will greatly contribute to enable us attain this set mission,” he added. 
The amount of income envisaged in the sector is still far from being satisfactory, which implies that more effort is needed at all levels to get things better, the Minister said.
He promised total collaboration on their part for the success of the set objectives and called for more initiatives from both sides to the support the plan of action. 
He, however, warned for care to be taken to avoid strategies that may lead to overlapping of ideas or conflict with protection and conservation of biodiversities for future generations.