AR-News: (Ghana) Accra Zoo to relocate

[Animalara2003 at aol.com]

The Ministry is determined to increase the income from tourism in Ghana. It 
is no surprise that the Ministry of Tourism sees wildlife as a saleable 
product, subject to the capitalist dictum of “supply and demand” and will provide 
the wildlife desired by visitors to Africa. The Accra zoo is not sufficiently 
appealing to these tourists.
The Ministry is determined to increase the income from tourism in Ghana. It 
is no surprise that the Ministry of Tourism sees wildlife as a saleable 
product, subject to the capitalist dictum of “supply and demand” and will provide 
the wildlife desired by visitors to Africa. The Accra zoo is not sufficiently 
appealing to these tourists.

The lure of private investment to finance this project means that the animals 
of the national zoo would soon become the property of a profit-led and 
tourist - based private enterprise.

Dr Richard Suuire worried that; “when a private man comes in, he is first 
interested in money” and was concerned that the level of conservation and 
education in Ghana may come under threat.

There were also fears that a private company may raise the price of entry to 
the Shai Hills to a level unaffordable to most Ghanaians.

The move to the Shai Hills will radically improve the plight of the animals 
currently housed in the zoo.

A source associated with the zoo for more than twenty years, told The 
Chronicle that they had been informed by a figure at the Department of Wildlife “with 
a smiling face” that there was no money to feed the animals this year.

The lure of private investment to finance this project means that the animals 
of the national zoo would soon become the property of a profit-led and 
tourist - based private enterprise.

Dr Richard Suuire worried that; “when a private man comes in, he is first 
interested in money” and was concerned that the level of conservation and 
education in Ghana may come under threat.

There were also fears that a private company may raise the price of entry to 
the Shai Hills to a level unaffordable to most Ghanaians.

The move to the Shai Hills will radically improve the plight of the animals 
currently housed in the zoo.

A source associated with the zoo for more than twenty years, told The 
Chronicle that they had been informed by a figure at the Department of Wildlife “with 
a smiling face” that there was no money to feed the animals this year.


full story:

http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=51718 


"The world is a dangerous place,
not because of those who do evil,
but because of those who look on and do nothing.",
Albert Einstein
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