Friends of Earth, Ghana (FOE), has applauded the rejection by President Jerry Rawlings of the resettlement of ancestral chimpanzees in Konlobi Island in the Volta Region.

It said in a statement on Tuesday in Accra, "we are delighted that the issue of the chimpanzees, which was an important environmental matter, has finally been resolved by the President in the national interest."

The statement signed by the Mr Douglas Korsah Brown, Campaign Co-ordinator of FOE, said by turning down the project, the President has acted in a manner, which takes public interest into consideration.

"Our environment as well as the precautionary principle enshrined in Agenda 21 of the Rio Declaration should be a guiding principle in any project aimed at promoting sustainable development."

The statement said the Chimpanzee issue has demonstrated the ability of the Ghanaian to rise above sectional interest in pursuit of common national good.

It congratulated the Ghanaian Chronicle, an Accra weekly newspaper, which raised the alarm on the issue and urged it to continue to give priority and coverage to social and environmental issues that run counter to the public interest.

FOE expressed the hope that Ghanaians would exhibit the same concern and speak with one voice on all environmental matters affecting the nation.