Takoradi, March 05, GNA – Stakeholders at a symposium to commemorate this year’s World Wildlife Day in the Western Region have pledged their unwavering support towards protecting Ghana’s wildlife.
They also expressed commitment to undertaking educative and sensitisation programmes to promote wildlife and tourism to generate the needed revenues for the country.
This year’s World Wildlife Day is on the theme: “Recovering Key Species for Ecosystem Restoration”.
Mr Enoch Amasa Ashie, the Western Regional Manager of the Wildlife Division, Forestry Commission, said trade in wildlife generated over $300 billion revenue worldwide, in which Ghana played a major role.
He indicated that non-governmental and other organisations, who had shown interest in wildlife, exported about 250,00 species, generating about $185,000.
Mr Ashie underscored the importance of wildlife and said doctors, for instance, extracted poison from snakes for research to invent antivenoms, which were used to treat snakebites.
He, therefore, pleaded with Ghanaians to handle wildlife with care since they contributed to the Ghanaian culture and its beauty.
The event was attended by staff from the Friends of the Nation, an environmental advocacy group, the Environmental Protection Agency, Hen Mpoano, National Disaster Management Organisation, students pursuing Tourism at the universities, and basic and second cycle school students.
GNA