Management of Mole National Park in the West Gonja Municipality of the Savannah Region, have issued a strong warning to residents around the game reserve to desist from poaching in the park. This follows the arrest of 45-year-old Adams Abass, a native of Soma in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District. Recently, there has been a surge in poaching activities in the park by residents despite several arrests and community engagements. Law Enforcement Officer at the Mole game reserve, Alfred Kofi Bara is worried that the activities of these poachers continue to endanger the safety of animals which can lead to the extinction of the rare species.
Elephants walking at the Mole motel during the Covid-19 lockdown
“We have made sure we sensitized them against poaching on several platforms, yet they sneak into the park, kill the animals, smoke them, and sell to food vendors sometimes at a very cheap price.” “If we are not careful, we will not only extinct the animals, but also destroy the game reserve which will be a big blow to the tourism of the country,” he lamented. He assured the rangers would continue to protect the park and would not hesitate to arrest and prosecute any poacher. The Mole National Park is Ghana’s largest wildlife conservation that hosts elephants, antelopes, some spotted hyenas, among other animals.
The Park is located in the West Gonja Municipality of the Savannah Region and covers an area of 4,577 square kilometers. Annually, the Park records an average of 18,000 tourists.
Contribution of tourism to the economy
A 2017 Ghana tourism report placed Tourism as the third foreign exchange contributor to Ghana’s economy. The sector, according to the report, contributed GH¢12,573.3 million.