The EU-funded Savannah Integrated Biodiversity Conservation Initiative (SIBCI) in collaboration with the Faculty of Planning and Land Management (UDS) organized a two-day workshop for planning officers from the five (5) MMDAs that straddle the Mole National Park. The workshop, held at the Eco Clubhouse in Damongo, brought together traditional authorities, representatives from the Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission and planning officers from the West and North Gonja, Sawla/Tuna/Kalba, Mamprugu-Moagduri and Wa East districts.
Dr Asaah Mohammed of the University for Development Studies (UDS), in his opening remarks, highlighted the significance of the workshop and tasked participants to come out with a resplendent, but effective planning layout that will sit well with the original motive and objective of the Mole National Park (MNP).
Addressing participants, Mr Raymond Agyepong Antwi, the Project Coordinator of SIBCI, provided a brief overview of SIBCI and progress so far with regard to the project. According to him, SIBCI uses a collaborative approach, including working with local communities, towards promoting biodiversity and climate-friendly economic opportunities thus creating decent jobs in communities that fringe the MNP.
Dr Fauster Agbenyo, a lecturer at the University for Development Studies gave a brief presentation on the biodiversity and conservation challenges of the Mole National Park. He said the MNP has over the years served as the second biggest tourist attraction site in Ghana – increased household incomes, created jobs, provided access to infrastructure and increased community participation in biodiversity conservation. He was however quick to add that, communities surrounding the MNP, since the establishment of the park, have been faced with varied challenges such as restriction from forest resources, safety issues (attacks from wildlife, crop-raiding and human-wildlife conflicts).
“External agents such civil society organisations and private sector operatives go through similar challenges. Inadequate financial resources, climate change, lack of technical expertise, bush fire and land degradation due to overgrazing and farming activities which are affecting the microclimate of the park remain a major worry to these institutions.” He added.
Dr Nana Opare-Djan, Deputy Director of the National Development Planning Commission (NPDC) took participants through various strategies for mainstreaming biodiversity and conservation of the Mole National Park into the ongoing review of Medium Term Development Plans (MTDPs) of the five districts straddling the park. Participants were then grouped and tasked to identify key development issues that will be mainstreamed into their development plans.
At the end of the workshop, a monitoring group comprising district planning officers, SIBCI team, CSOs, NDPC and traditional authorities was formed to track the progress of the integration of identified biodiversity and conservation issues mainstreamed into their MTDPs.