December
1997
Gaining
Ground in Ghana
The Satya Interview with Jack
Wilmot
|
|
|
Jack Wilmot is the Ambassador and Permanent
Representative of Ghana to the United Nations.
Q: What are the special challenges
of conservation in Africa--and West Africa in particular?
A: I think the challenges of conservation
in Africa and particularly in West Africa are the challenges of development.
The governments of our countries are aware of the need to maintain a
fair balance between ecology and development patterns if we are to ensure
sustainable development. However, our fragile economies cannot sustain
conservation to appreciable levels. Besides limited capacity to replenish
stocks scientifically, we also have the unfortunate natural conditions
of prolonged drought and sometimes bush fires which are difficult to
manage. This is compounded by man-made conditions which impede conservation.
For example, we fell wood not only as tropical hardwood for export,
but also for use domestically as wood fuel. The long term consequence
is the destruction of the natural habitat of animals and the drying
up of streams and ponds as they lose the vegetative cover in their catchment
areas. It may also be recalled that poachers shoot elephants not only
to supply contraband ivory but also to supply contraband "bushmeat"
for nearby communities. At times elephants are also shot because they
are considered a "nuisance" to agriculture.
Poaching is a major, if not the greatest, challenge
facing us. Here again, while we use our meager resources to protect
elephants from poachers, ready markets exist in the Far East for ivory.
Colorful birds are trapped and sold as pets. African lizards are not
only becoming exotic pets but lizard skins, in addition to those of
snakes and crocodiles, are made into high fashion bags, watch straps
and shoes highly patronized by the rich in Western countries.
Lack of alternative employment for those living
around the parks, the availability of ready markets, and the assurance
of prize money for their prey are challenges to conservation. We have
enacted stringent anti-poaching laws and acceded to international conventions.
But, good laws and policies can be effective in protecting our wildlife
population only in conjunction with modern methods of policing. As a
developing country, however, we lack the means to procure the necessary
logistics to carry out our good intentions. This is one area in which
our relationship with Friends of Animals (FoA) has been most valuable.
Q: What has Ghana achieved with Friends of
Animals?
A: Ghana has had close cooperation with
FoA over the past 10 years. One area that readily comes to mind is the
assistance FoA has provided in expanding our anti-poaching campaigns.
This has evolved in two main areas: the provision of essential supplies
and technical training and support. With the support of FoA, our game
reserves and wildlife sanctuaries have been more secure than ever. FoA
supplied our Game and Wildlife Department with patrol vehicles for mobility
within the confines of the parks, VHF radios and GPS receivers for effective
communication, uniforms for our park rangers, tents, generators and
other field equipment. Indeed, for effective policing, and to reduce
the death rate of the park rangers at the hands of unscrupulous poachers,
FoA also presented a specially designed, bullet-proof patrol aircraft
to our Game and Wildlife Department. The aircraft, named "Bunny Hugger"
(but popularly known as the "Flying Giraffe" because of its painting)
was built to fly at very low altitudes and has a quiet engine which
allows it to spot poachers relatively easily and alert the guards to
effect arrests. The combination of air and ground surveillance has enabled
poaching gangs to be intercepted before they exit the parks.
Furthermore, FoA has also supported an elephant
census and survey in the Volta Region of Ghana and is currently in the
process of finalizing agreement on an uninhabited island on the Volta
Lake (known as the Konkolobi Island) to serve as a refuge and rehabilitation
facility for confiscated and rescued chimpanzees.
Q: How can the "developed" world best serve
the needs of Africa in protecting the environment and animals?
A: The environment and for that matter
the animals can be protected by making development sustainable. In this
context, there is the need to increase development assistance and an
accelerated effort to assist in the diversification of our economies.
There is also the urgent need to help capacity building through assistance,
in training our park rangers and in providing equipment to help track
down poachers. But, as a long term measure, I think we need diversification
of our economies to make them stronger, so that we graduate from the
subsistence level. The protection of the environment, whether it is
in the developed or developing world, is a call for duty to all of us.
What happens in one country or region has a consequential effect on
the whole earth--our common heritage. Protection of the environment
is therefore a synergy of both developed and developing worlds.
For more on FoA's programs in Ghana, contact: Friends
of Animals' National Headquarters, 777 Post Road, Suite 205, Darien,
CT 06820. Tel.: 203-656-0267.
