One of Ghana’s foremost conservationists, Emmanuel Asibey has been awarded the Duke of Edinburgh Conversation Medal for his contribution to the conservation of wildlife and natural resources. The award was posthumously conferred on the late Emmanuel Asibey at a ceremony in Accra. Dr. Asibey who pioneered the establishment of the Ghana Wildlife Department and the nation’s wildlife protected area network died last month. The annual Duke of Edinburgh Conservation award recognizes highly meritorious contributions to the conservation of wildlife and natural resources.

The criteria for selection include contribution to conservation, scientific credentials and ability to influence conservation achievements. It is the most prestigious award and highest honour given by the worldwide fund for nature. The winner is presented with a special engraved gold medal and a certificate. The late Emmanuel Asibey is the first individual African to be presented with this award. He competed with five others of international standing and was unanimously selected as the winner. But for his untimely death, Dr. Asibey would have traveled to the United Kingdom in November to receive the award from his royal highness the Duke of Edinburgh.

His younger daughter Joyrene Asibey received the post humous award on behalf of her father.

Emmanuel Asibey regarded by many as the father of wildlife conservation in Ghana already has to his credit, Ghana’s Grand Medal (Civil Division) given him by the government in 1978 in recognition of his contribution to wildlife conservation in Ghana. As a forester, ecologist and conservationist by training, the late Emmanuel Asibey spent his entire life working to promote conservation work worldwide. And according to Gerard Boakye a spokesman for the conservation fraternity in Ghana, even in death he merits all the honour being done him.

The body of the late Asibey will be interred on Saturday in his hometown Asante Mampong. He was however informed about the award before his death.