Conservator General of the National Parks Service, Alhaji Ibrahim Goni, has described the seven parks across the country as the Gene Bank of genetic resources.
Gene banks are a type of biorepository which preserve genetic material.
Goni disclosed this when some members of the Bikers Association paid him a courtesy call at the Service’s headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday.
He said that at present, Nigeria has seven parks across the country that serves as the country’s gene bank.
“At our parks, we have animals and genetic resources that are still in their original forms which we preserve for sustainable use.
“These genes are vital for our future well-being; and biodiversity and nature are, on their own, sources of wonder and enjoyment.
“Also, we have wild species that flourish as natural systems that help regulate climate change, air quality, and cycles of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, mineral elements and water,’’ he added.
The C-G said that the service was reaching out to both national and international bodies to make the parks household names.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Bikers are taking part in the 14 Days on going Rediscover Nigeria Heritage Tours 2018 otherwise known as Heritage Bikers Tour scheduled for Oct. 3 to Nov 4.
The tour is organised by the National Commission for Museums and Monuments in conjunction with the Latin American Motorcycle Association (LAMA), First Entertainment Ideas Concept and others.
Mr Ernest Akhikpemelo, the President of LAMA Nigeria, said that the Heritage Bikers Tour would be an annual event to promote the tourism potential in Nigeria.
“Rediscover Nigeria Heritage Tour 2018 is borne out of the need to explore a unique way to promote and propagate the tourism potential inherent in our rich cultural heritage using biking expedition.
“The tourism benefit derivable from this display is enormous as it creates interaction opportunities between the bikers and the communities they visit.
“The tour will showcase to the world, the rich and diverse cultural heritage, monuments and sites, traditional festivals and local cuisines that abound in Nigeria.
“Some of our activities include visit to eminent personalities and dexterity Bike displays by members of the International Latin American Motorcycle Association (LAMA) lead by Mr Mario Nieze and local bikers in all the states they will visit.
NAN reports that the bikers would visit 11 states including Niger, Kogi, Anambra, Cross River, Rivers, Bayelsa, Edo, Ondo, Osun, Ogun and Lagos and the FCT.
Akhikpemelo noted that the tour would help discover new frontiers for the promotion of tourism, create awareness and stimulate the usage of such to boost tourism in Nigeria.
“The tour is to do a video and pictorial coverage of heritage and monument sites that abound in the country and beam same to local international and audiences.
“This will attract the attention of the general public to the museums and cultural heritage, which the project intends to promote’’.
He said that subsequent editions would have activities such as Bikers competition, Traditional Cuisine Contest, Essay Competition, Beauty Pageant etc.
Some of the international bikers taking part in the tour come from Brazil, Mexico, USA, Puerto Rico and South Africa.
By Ebere Agozie
