This is the VOA SpecialEnglish Development Report.
An American-based environmental group says hunting wild animalsin Ghana has become a serious problem. Conservation Internationalreports that more than thirty percent of wild animal meat suppliedto local markets in Ghana contains dangerous chemicals. This iscreating serious health and environmental risks in the country.
Conservation International sayshunters use extreme methods to kill wild animals. These includepoison, forest fires and guns. These methods are dangerous forpeople, wildlife and the environment. The country now suffers from alack of wildlife because so many animals have been killed.
The crisis was the subject of a two-day conference in Accra lastmonth. More than two-hundred people attended. They includedgovernment officials, non-governmental organizations, tribal leadersand representatives of the animal meat trade. Their goal was to findways to limit the amount of bushmeat eaten by Ghanaians and tocreate other economic possibilities. Currently, the country’s animalmeat trade is a three-hundred-fifty-million dollar industry.
Officials released an action plan at the close of the Accraconference. It calls on the Ghanaian government to examine andimprove its wildlife laws. It also urges a ban on the use of extremehunting methods and a halt to wildlife exports. The action plan alsocalls for stronger government supervision of the bushmeat industryto protect public health and the dying out of rare animals.
In addition to health and environmental concerns created by thiscrisis, officials say Ghanaian culture also could be affected.Okyeame Ampadu-Agyei (oh-chee-YA-mee am-pa-DOO ah-JAY) is the headof Conservation International in Ghana. He says that most ethnicgroups in the country believe the animals being hunted are linked tothe people’s ancestors. Local tribes consider the animals to besigns of their history and family traditions.
Mister Ampadu-Agyei says Ghanaian culture and history is indanger. In the past, local rulers helped protect the country’s wildanimals by enforcing traditional rules and customs. MisterAmpadu-Agyei says if Ghana is not careful, all its wildlife willdisappear and nothing will be left to show the nation’s children.
This VOA Special English Development Report was written by JillMoss.