The Forestry Commission has outdoored plans to pump over $320m to transform the Achimota Forest into an eco-tourism enclave under a public-private partnership.
The project is expected to start in October.
Speaking to Joy News after the launch of the project last Tuesday, Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission, Samuel Afari Dartey revealed government is expected to contribute about $170 million cedis as a 55% majority shareholder.
He said the land value is about 50% of the cost of the project.
“We are going to contribute extra $5m that will come from the Forestry Commission’s [internally generated funds]. For now we do not expect central government of Ghana to contribute any more funds”.
The project forms a key part of the Forest and Wildlife Development Master Plan crafted more than a decade-and-half ago by the Forestry Commission
The Forestry Commission aims to follow the footsteps of Nairobi National Park (NNP) in Kenya, which attracts ninety-six thousand (96,000) visitors and generates US$8 million, annually.
Giraffe Crossing at Nairobi National Park
Presently, as an eco-tourism centre, the Achimota Forest attracts twenty thousand visitors and generates US$60,000 annually.
The Achimota Forest is three-hundred and sixty (360) hectares with an arboretum, a zoo and spiritual retreat enclaves, which are privately sponsored.
A spiritual enclave is to be created in the Achimota Forest Reserve to accommodate religious activities.
The forest was carved out and was gazetted in July 1930 to create a green buffer between the Achimota School and the city of Accra and to provide cheap fuel for the School.
Those initial objectives changed with time to the provision of Nature Reserve, Recreation Park and Nature Study Facilities for children, students and researchers. The Forest.
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