Nduom misfired on supposed sale of Achimota Forest

The founder and leader of the Progressive People's Party (PPP), Papa Kwesi Nduom, has in an open letter to President John Dramani Mahama, alleged that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government had put in place a mechanism possibly to sell the Achimota Forest.,

Part of the letter stated; “this forest must remain a forest. If anything at all, we must revert some of the area currently being used for all manner of religious and other semi-permanent human activities to its original natural state.

We used to have a lovely Ridge Park. Now most of it has been taken over for other purposes. The Race Course area near the Accra Sports Stadium has also been turned into a multi-purpose business development area. The green areas are disappearing all over the country with official approval and participation.

Mr. President, do not let this happen under your watch. Help save our environment. Green is life. Stop the planned destruction of the Achimota Forest”.

From the above, The Informer has discovered that the PPP leader who was once a minister under ex-President John Agyekum Kufuor's government either does not understand the issue, or only using his fib (white lies) regarding the sale of the Achimota Forest to announce his existence in the country after his failed Presidential bid in 2012.

In today’s Informer, we present part of the discoveries for Ghanaians to know the truth, so would not be misled by Papa Kwesi Nduom, who is looking for the least opportunity to market himself in pursuant of his Presidential ambition.

It came up during this paper’s in-depth investigations that the decision by the government to pull a synergy with a private entity as part of its (government’s) Public-Private Partnership (PPP) policy to transform some part of the forest into an eco-tourism facility was an initiative by the erstwhile John Kufuor administration of which Papa Kwesi Nduom was privileged to have served as a minister.

With government benefiting over $86.4 million in the first year of operation and; with the projections of the state raking-in as much as $230.9 million as revenue in the 10th year of running the project.

It is also on record that with the viability of the project, the Late President, John Evans Atta Mills, gave his blessings for the project to take-off and not what the PPP leader wants Ghanaians to believe; that the project is the creation of the John Mahama administration.

Apart from the monetary gains to government and it serving as a recreational ground for the general public, the project is expected to generate massive employment as a result of the various services that the project will provide upon completion.

In fact, the project is not the first of its kind in Africa: Countries such as Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania and Zimbabwe have been benefiting immensely from eco-tourism; and Ghana must not in any way be denied of same benefits.

Currently, the forest has become a dumping ground, and one wonders if that is the kind of preservation Papa Kwesi Nduom is talking about, hence his opposition to the eco-tourism idea.

Research has it that, eco-tourism is an industry that stands to make a lot of money from tourists that are seeking environmentally friendly vacations or ecologically friendly activities. The money from ecotourism could be used to preserve nature, wildlife species and earth's natural resources, as well as help local people with access to civilization and education.

For example, if a country is primed for ecotourism, the money could be used to preserve the environment in that country, so that the natural resources would last longer. Local residents could also benefit from the growth in their economy and no longer have to live poorly.