Nkwanta, June 19, GNA - Mr Andrew Adjei-Yeboah, Deputy Minister of Lands, Forestry and Mines on Wednesday said government had secured funds to pay compensation under the National Resources and Environmental Governance (NREG) programme.

He said government in consultation with other agencies had steps to address issues of crop destruction and payment of compensation to affected farmers.

Mr Adjei-Yeboah announced this at a stakeholders "Conference on Developments in Kyabobo National Park (KNP)" at Nkwanta. It was under the theme "The Way Forward in Sustaining Achievements".

The KNP being financed by Royal Netherlands Government from August 2002-June 2008 estimated at 3.2 million Euros would provide adequate infrastructure including communication gadgets, logistics and capacity building for good management practices. It is a cross border national park from Fazao-Malfakassa of Togo occupying a landmass of 250 square kilometres and 1,500 square kilometres.

Mr Adjei-yeboah said the perennial land ownership, multiple claimants and land intermediaries, which militated against payment of compensation, had been solved and only clienteles who were ready and satisfied laid down criteria would be paid. He said wildlife estates or protected areas in Ghana consisted of seven national parks, six resources reserves, two wildlife sanctuaries, a strict nature reserve, five Ramsar sites and a community-based reserve all covering about 13,460 square kilometres. Mr Adjei-Yeboah said collectively these wildlife estates provided critical livelihood support to fringe communities through socio-economic opportunities, alternative incomes, traditional medicine sources, conservation of valuable cultural identities, recreation and improvement in overall environmental quality.

He observed that lack of appropriate benefit-sharing schemes, inadequate infrastructure, equipment and logistic to support activities at protected areas affected effective management in addition to the propensity to compete with other equally important sectors of the economy.

Mr Adjei-Yeboah expressed government's appreciation to the Netherlands Government and its Development Co-operation Organization (SNV) for their commitment and continued support to the development of KNP and other protected areas in Ghana. He called on the participants to devise pragmatic strategies to sustain KNP for utmost self-sufficiency.

Nana Kofi Adu-Nsiah, Executive Director of Wildlife Division of Forestry Commission called on stakeholders including Nkwanta South Assembly to incorporate the development and continuous sustenance of KNP into their development planning towards maximizing the tourism potentials of the park.

Ms Wilma Van Esch, Deputy Head in-charge of Development Co-operation, Royal Netherlands Embassy said the effective management of KNP and other wildlife estates could be the engine of economic growth, poverty reduction strategies and contribute to the conservation of biodiversity.

Mr Joseph Yaw Denteh, Nkwanta South District Chief Executive said the assembly would continue to play advocacy role among stakeholders including fringe communities, wildlife staff and Kyabobo Management Advisory Board (KYAMAB) for accelerated development and growth of the park.

Mr Gershon Gbediame, Member of Parliament for Nkwanta South pledged to influence Parliament towards the passage of the remaining legislation towards gaining autonomy and appealed for judicious use of resources from the park.

Nana Awuku Kyaa, Board Chairman of KYAMAB, urged chiefs to champion the crusade among fringe communities who perceived the project as their property and protect it. Headquarters of KNP with state-of-the-art communication gadgets, a guest house, offices, staff bungalows, named after the late Mr Nicholas Ankudey, former Executive Director of Wildlife Division, who died in a motor accident on November 2003 working for the success of the park was inaugurated. 19 June 08