Wildlife Bill yet to be finalized by Parliament

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• G. K. Berko 10 years ago

  We have been foolishly neglecting our Wildlife and Forestry responsibilities for far too long to our own detriment. So, now, we are forced to import wood, for the first time in the History of our Country, and run short of Gam ...
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  We have been foolishly neglecting our Wildlife and Forestry responsibilities for far too long to our own detriment. So, now, we are forced to import wood, for the first time in the History of our Country, and run short of Game Meat as a source of vital protein in our diet.
  
  Many may not care to know the state of our Wildlife but one repercussion of its neglect is the importation of Poultry to make up for the loss of Meat in the System.
  
  We have very ignorant Political leaders in charge of many vital Institutions, and who are only concerned with their selfish personal wealth, in spite of their elitist educational background.
  
  Anyone who is old enough, and has been traveling along the Techiman-Kumasi Highway since the 90's would realize the huge loss of our Forests, both natural and artificial, especially, in the Offinso-Abofour area.
  
  The two most important Forest Reserves, Opro and Afram Headwaters Forest Reserves, in the Kumasi-North Forest District flanking Abofour, near Offinso, have the crucial role of protecting massive Watershed areas for Rivers like Opro, Pru, Afram and others. They also have been partly serving as a barrier to the southwards drift of the Sahelian conditions.
  
  Apart from these very important roles of these Reserves, they have, for many decades provided us sustained economic benefits in terms of Timber and numerous other Forest Produce to the Locals.
  
  When huge tracts of these Forests were devastated by wanton logging, and the encroaching desiccating conditions hampered rapid natural regeneration of the natural species, we undertook serious reforestation program to replenish the Forest with various species, especially, Teak, (Tectona grandis), which is an exotic species but highly compatible with our environment.
  
  The 70s and 80s saw dedicated assiduous commitment to the reforestation exercises in Ghana. Meanwhile, some Silvicultural enrichment practices had been attempted with some local high valued (Classes 1 and 2) Species, like Odum (Chlorophora excelsa), Kokrodua (Pericopsis elata), Mahogany (Khaya ivorensis), Sapele (Entandrophragma cylindricum), Utile (Entandrophragma utile), and Cedrela (Cedrela odurata).
  
  Up till the end of the 90s, these Plantations at Abofour were an enviable global model that attracted scientific researchers, including Foresters, from around the World. But on my last visit to Ghana, in 2013, almost all the Trees in the Afram and Opro Plantations had been felled and taken out, leaving the Forest almost bare and under siege of Grass. The Forest Reserves had been depleted of both the native species and the Plantation crops, and no efforts to assist their regeneration were significantly visible.
  
  As these Forests vanish, so do our Wildlife. The Forests harbored a healthy population of Wildlife from which Game meat was abundantly extracted. The relatively better management of the Reserves in those pre-2000 days ensured a regime of sustained supplies of produce.
  
  Now, however, all the valuable Timber Species and the Wildlife have almost disappeared. Farmers in the area who were symbiotically working with the Forestry personnel to preserve the Forests and provide abundant food that used to serve the Cities in the South and the Northern Regions have all been virtually rendered idle and unproductive. Hence, the increasing urbanization pressure from the unemployed Youths who hail from those areas where the Forests provided reasonable source of revenue.
  
  So, what does our Government have to say to this deplorable state of our Forests and Wildlife, now? Our general population knows and feels the direct impact of the loss of these priceless Natural Resources, especially, with the current high prices of Wood, most of which is imported. Yet, Folks are not talking about the debacle. Many simply believe the drastic shortage of these resources, and the poor state of the Forests are a natural phenomenon over which they have no control. But the truth is that all the loss is caused by human irresponsibility and immeasurable greed of a few.
  
  We should all bow our heads in shame, and rise up to demand better attention from the Government which has been feeding off the foreign exchange that has been provided by resources from the Forests since time immemorial.
  
  Neglecting our Forests and Wildlife amounts to neglecting our lives, given how much our sheer survival depends on the Climatic and environmental benefits from their sheer existence.
  
  We have allowed corruption to eat into that sphere of our lives, too. But that is an assault to the very roots of our Nation's viability. So, let us all begin to show more concern, and demand more actions to rectify the state of the Forests and Wildlife in Ghana, now.
  
  Our Policy-makers might have seen the Oil discovery as some more potent source of revenue to advance our Nation's development and chose, therefore, to give it more attention at the expense of our Forests and other Natural Resources. But while the Oil is finite as a resource and would deplete eventually, our Forests and Wildlife have the intrinsic capacity to be sustainably productive into eternity. All we have to do is take good care of them to help them replenish themselves.
  
  Long Live Ghana!!!

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• Vann 10 years ago

  It's not just neglecting wildlife and forestry, it's sheer ignorance or refusal to accept the value of our renewable natural resources.
  
  The use of a domestic dog picture tells volumes as to what we really we understand wil ...
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  It's not just neglecting wildlife and forestry, it's sheer ignorance or refusal to accept the value of our renewable natural resources.
  
  The use of a domestic dog picture tells volumes as to what we really we understand wildlife is to take it serious. It's sad that as a nation we play down on our wildlife resource and its potentials beyond bush meat. Yet the same politicians admire the wildlife of other countries when they happen to visit them either in parks or zoos as well as enjoy wildlife films produced by National Geography, BBC and others.
  
  I hope and pray the over delayed bill does not gather dust for good. My appeal is to H.E. President John Mahama who had wanted to be a wildlife ranger/manager while growing up in Damongo as claimed in his book, "My first coup d'tat", is that he ensures that the bill is thoroughly dealt with and passed by parliament before his term ends.
  
  I call for more public education of Ghanaians at all levels on the importance of Ghana's wildlife heritage, the value of which is more than all oil and mineral resources combined. It's time that we all wake up from our slumber to reality.

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