Halt encroachment on Dodowa Forest — GARHC tells govt
The Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs (GARHC) has appealed to the government to take decisive action to stop real estate developers from destroying the historical Dodowa Forest.
The acting President of the GARHC, Prof. Nii Oboade Notse Odaifio Welentsi III, made the call during an emergency meeting between the GARHC and the Greater Accra Regional Security Council (REGSEC) at the Guggisberg Memorial Hall in Dodowa.
Prof. Welentsi III also called for a full-scale investigation into the activities of the encroachers.
He emphasized that the Dodowa Forest is a vital biodiversity reserve with historical significance and should not be exploited by “unscrupulous elements”.
“The Ga-Dangme has already contributed enough land to the development of this country and cannot lose our historical forest to self-seeking elements,” he stressed.
Greater Accra Regional Minister Daniel Nii Kwartei Titus-Glover, responding to GARHC’s call, said the Dodowa Forest would be declared a security zone, and that prompt action would be taken to stop all development activities in the area.
“I have personally gone to see the destruction of the Dodowa Forest, and it is sad that it has been massively impacted by development activities,” the Regional Minister lamented.
“I want to assure you that together with REGSEC, we will ensure that nobody enters that forest. The minister stressed that under his watch, all lands in the region would be protected from encroachers,” he noted.
The Ga Mantse, Nii Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, a member of the Council of State, Stanley Nii Adjiri-Blankson, and other representatives from the 13 traditional councils in the Greater Accra Region attended the crunch meeting.
It was also attended by all the metropolitan, municipal, and district chief executives in the Greater Accra Region and the different outfits under the Greater Accra REGSEC, including the Ghana Armed Forces, the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana Immigration Service, the National Investigations Bureau, and other security agencies.
The meeting discussed important issues, including the celebration of Homowo and other festivals, chieftaincy disputes, security concerns, and the depletion of the Dodowa Forest.
Subsequently, Mr. Titus-Glover, on behalf of the NPP’s presidential candidate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, presented a bus to the GARHC to support their movement.
According to him, the bus was in fulfilment of Dr Bawumia’s recent promise to the GARHC.
