Concerted effort needed for sustainable wildlife conservation-Principal Manager

Mr Oliver Chelewura, Principal Manager, Bono Regional Office of the Forestry Commission (FC), Wildlife Division (WD), has called for a stronger collaboration from stakeholders to conserve and protect wildlife species for human sustainable use.

He said, though the WD had been mandated to protect, conserve, and manage the country’s wildlife resources, the responsibility of citizens was essential to complement the efforts of the FC/WD to protect the resources and, therefore, required a stronger partnership with other stakeholders to achieve this objective.

Mr Chelewura made the call in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sunyani as part of ‘World Wildlife Day (WWD),’ which is celebrated on March 3 every year.

The WWD is one of the significant annual events celebrated globally since 2013 when the?Secretariat?of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna (Wildlife) and Flora (Flowered) (CITES) through the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) proclaimed March 3rd.

It is a day to celebrate the beautiful and varied forms of fauna and flora to raise awareness on the multitude of benefits that conservation provides for mankind and their contributions to the cultural and socio-economic development of nations.?

This year’s celebration was on the theme, ‘Partnerships for Wildlife Conservation” with a focus on honouring the people making a difference through the many partnerships and associations that have been formed over the years in trying to preserve natural resources.

Mr Chelewura emphasised every community depended on natural resources and wildlife for survival, hence it had become necessary for?strong alliances to be formed in the quest to safeguard and conserve the wildlife species.

He explained the WD in the Bono Region had been collaborating with the Forest Services Division, Ghana National Fire Service,?Traditional Authorities, Security Agencies, bush meat sellers and hunters to protect and maintain the little resources available?to be used sustainably?for generations yet unborn to also benefit.?

Mr Chelewura therefore pleaded with the public not to envisage wildlife protection and conservation as the sole responsibility of the FC but understand it as a collective obligation of all citizens to?ensure that the country’s natural resources could benefit now and future generations.

Source: Ghana News Agency