Surviving virgin forest to be commissioned

Ghana's only surviving virgin rain forest would be commissioned on Thursday January 23, at Ankasa in the Western Region as a tourist destination site.

The 509 square-kilometre forest attraction established first as a reserve in 1976 had stood the test of time till date, except a small portion which had been exploited over the years by timber merchants.

Mr Moses Kofi Sam, Zonal Manager, Western and Central regions, Ghana Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the latest tourism destination has spectacular waterfalls and a bamboo cathedral that would excite the average visitor.

He said one would even be lucky to catch a glimpse of elephants, leopards, chimpanzees, monkeys, bongos and duikers among many other animals.

"Ankasa is a place to feel the forest, learn its rhythm, smell its smells, be mesmerised by noises from monkeys crashing through trees to rivers splashing on rocks," Mr Sam said.

Asked if the animals may not attack anybody on site, he replied: "No animal would out of the ordinary attack any human being except provoked to do so; even that, there would be forest guards at hand to walk visitors along the trails."

He said the conservation of the biodiversity in a protected area such as Ankasa had depended upon the combination of enforced legal protection and the development of a positive attitude by the people towards the ecology of the reserve.

He called on Ghanaians to take a cue from Ankasa to conserve and help preserve all the country's forest for the prosperity of future generations.