Business mogul, Nana Kwame Bediako, popularly known as Freedom Jacob Caesar, has admitted that he is keeping two tigers in his house.
He says he has had the two tigers for six months now.
Some residents at Wonda World Estates, Avenue Lincoln near the British High Commission at Ridge in Accra, had expressed worry over the presence of the two tigers at the estate.
A section of the public took to social media to draw the attention of the Ghana Police Service to the situation, which they believe is illegal.
Responding to this, Freedom Jacob Caesar said he went through the right process in bringing the animals to boost Ghana’s tourism.
“First, it is right, I have two tigers that I bought on a bid between Ghana and Dubai. I was the representative from the private sector that initiated my interest in purchasing these two animals. But we did go through the process, the animals are seven months old, still at the very young stage.”
He said he bought them with the intention of making Ghana one of the first in the greater part of the continent to have the animals.
“I went in to buy these animals to add the value of tourism in our country. I wanted to go into the Safari World by making sure that Ghana becomes the first country in the whole of West Africa, East Africa, and Central Africa, except for South Africa, which has these animals.”
“We wanted to be the first that will have it and so, I went in for the male and the female version of it. I have been keeping them for six months now. I brought experts from outside to create a safety cage for these animals, so they don’t become dangerous to the public,” the business mogul said in an interview with the media.
He indicated that he is working with the Forestry Commission to open a Zoo in the nation’s capital, Accra.
Meanwhile, the Ghana Police Service, in a statement on the matter, said it is working with the Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission to relocate the two tigers from the estate.
“Police have reached out to the Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission, and efforts are underway to relocate the animals to an appropriate facility,” the police said.
It added that while efforts are being made to relocate the animals, a special police team will be deployed to protect persons in the neighbourhood to ensure that they are safe until the eventual relocation.
