Animal used for Aboakyire is not deer - says wildlife officer

Accra, April 16, GNA - The animal used for the Aboakyire festival at Winneba is not a deer, but a bushbuck. Though the two breeds have similar features, the deer could not be found in Africa, Mrs Vivian Nuhu, Public Relations Manager of the Wildlife Division of Forestry Commission, told journalists on Tuesday at a preview of a documentary on wildlife in Accra.

The documentary dubbed: "Wildlife Adventures in Ghana" and packaged on DVDs, features various wildlife parks and reserves in the country, for the promotion of ecotourism both locally and abroad.

Professor Ashie Kotey, Chief Executive of the Forestry Commission, said the promotional DVDs were part of efforts to enable the Commission to generate resources to effectively manage and sustain wildlife. He said the Commission had also repositioned itself to promote business oriented strategies in its operations and had therefore teamed up with the private sector for sustainable ecotourism. He intimated that construction works for world class lodges at the Mole and Kakum National Parks would commence this year. The Commission would also invite tenders for private investments to build or operate tourist facilities at Ankasa Resource Reserve and Kyabobob National Park in the Volta Region and Owabi Wildlife Sanctuary, near Kumasi. Prof. Kotey appealed to the public to help conserve wildlife and called for the support of the Police in enforcing regulations against

poaching. Mr Andrew Adjei-Yeboah, Deputy Minister of Lands, Forestry and Mines, expressed government's commitment to supporting eco-tourism in order to generate revenue and employment. He called on the media to help publicize such sites to encourage more local patronage. Nana Kofi Adu Nsiah, Executive Director of the Wildlife Division, also bemoaned unfriendly agricultural practices, rampant bush fires and the poaching of critical wildlife, including elephants. He said with Ghana's natural resources and stable political and economic climate, the country was in a better position to promote eco-tourism to make it an international tourist preference. Mr Masato Kimata, Managing Director of Toyota Ghana Limited, expressed his company's commitment to support wildlife conservation and urged other corporate bodies to also come on board.