By Emmanuel Gamson, GNA
Takoradi, Aug. 24, GNA â The West African Primate Conservation Action (WAPCA), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), has celebrated the 2026 Mangabey Awareness Day (MAD) to raise awareness on the endangered white-naped mangabey and other threatened primates in the country.
The event, held at Princess Town in the Ahanta West Municipality of the Western Region, was also to promote the importance of conserving the forests that sustained wildlife and local communities, with focus on the Cape Three Points Forest Reserve.
The event was on the theme: âHealthy Forests and Healthy Communities: Protecting Our Shared Future,â and brought together community members within the Cape Three Points Community Resource Management Area (CREMA), traditional leaders, government representatives, conservation organisations, development partners, schools, and other stakeholders.
As part of the celebration, WAPCA and its partners organised a community float through parts of the CREMA, educational activities, an exhibition, panel discussions, football gala, a quiz competition, and a clean-up exercise.
A statement signed by Madam Nuria Badiella, the Research and Education Coordinator at WAPCA and copied to the Ghana News Agency, said key the message from the MAD 2026 panel discussion was that Cape Three Points should not be viewed only as a forest or wildlife habitat, but also as a cultural heritage site and an important source of livelihood for the people who lived there.
It said community members expressed a strong desire to see Cape Three Point’s natural and cultural assets developed responsibly and transformed into sustainable economic opportunities for local people.
âEcotourism, if properly developed, could create jobs and income for community members while, encouraging the protection of the forests, wildlife, mangroves and other natural resources that make the area unique.
âThe community, therefore, called for greater investment in responsible tourism infrastructure, skills development and local participation so that conservation and improved livelihoods can go hand in hand,â the statement noted.
The statement said some concerns were also raised about activities that threatened the landscape, especially illegal mining (galamsey) within the Cape Three Points Forest Reserve.
It said community members were calling on the authorities to act decisively to protect the forest, vegetation and wildlife so they could continue to support both the people and biodiversity for current and future generations.
âThis reinforces the importance of ensuring that communities are active participants in conservation and can see clear benefits from protecting the resources around them,â it added.
The Mangabey Awareness Day (MAD) is WAPCAâs primate conservation awareness campaign held on August 01 annually.
This yearâs edition was observed with support from Heidelberg Zoo, Limelight Foundation, Barcelona Zoo, Re:wild Primate Action Fund, the Embassy of Spain in Ghana through AECID-Spanish Cooperation, European Union in Ghana, and Hen Mpoano among others.
GNA
Edited by Justina Hilda Paaga/ Christabel Addo
24 Aug. 2026
Reporter: Emmanuel Gamson