Earthwatch and Nature Conservation sign agreement

Accra, May 23, GNA - The Earthwatch Institute of Europe and Nature Conservation Research Centre (NCRC) of Ghana on Tuesday signed a 1.5 million dollar Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to establish a partnership for cooperation for work in Ghana. The work would mainly involve conservation programmes and research works to be carried out principally in the Northern Sector of the country.

Mr Steve Gray, Programme Development Manager of Earthwatch of the UK Office signed on behalf of his organization while Mr James Nti, Chairman of NCRC Board signed on behalf of his organization. The co-operation is to last for five years. Mr Nti said the partnership would develop a research and conservation programme aimed at delivering outcomes against the agreed priorities, which comprised approximately four Earthwatch / NCRC field research projects.

The project, he noted would also consider local student support and capacity building and education programmes among other priority areas. Mr Nti said the two organizations had been collaborating on conservation projects for the past seven years in areas such as wildlife conservation in West Africa' at Wechiau in the Upper West Region; elephants of the Red Volta in the Upper East Region and "Cocoa Farming and Biodiversity in Ghana" at Adjeikrom in the Eastern Region.

He said the new projects that were being developed included the conservation of sites noted for the West African Manatee in the Volta Lake and the White-necked Rockfowl in the Brong Ahafo Region.

Mr Nti said NCRC aimed at the promotion of greater awareness of, and protection of the natural, historic and cultural diversity of Ghana and the projects would ultimately cover the whole of the West African Sub-Region.

He said the NCRC was seeking to work in partnership with organizations that would help it to achieve its strategic objectives and programme priorities. Mr Gray said Earthwatch's mission was to engage people worldwide in scientific field research and education to promote the understanding and action necessary to create sustainable environment.