Accra Eco-Park to transform the city

The Accra Eco-Park, an ecotourism infrastructure development which has the potential to make the city of Accra a major tourism destination in the West Africa African sub-region is expected to be completed between the next five and seven years.
 

The construction of the Park which is estimated to cost US$1.2billion and to be executed in phases is being spearheaded by the Forestry Commission and a private partner, Aikan Capital Limited with the first phase to be completed within 24 months.  

In September 2013, government approved the proposal of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resource to develop the Achimota Forest Reserve into the Accra Eco-Park through a public-private partnership arrangement. 

“We are aware that due process was followed in selecting Aikan Capital Limited to develop the Accra Eco-Park,” confirmed, President John Dramani Mahama in a speech read on his behalf during an official sod-cutting ceremony of the project in Achimota-Accra.

“We have decided to convert the forest into a world class recreational facility and a major ecotourism destination in West Africa. This development will preserve the only greenbelt in the city of Accra, and allow the forest to continue to function as a carbon sink and clean the air and at the same time we create jobs and business opportunities for the private sector.

“For such a high level of investment by the private sector and because of its enormous potential for national development, my government would do everything possible to ensure that this project yields the necessary benefits for the people of this country,” he said.

The project will involves the construction of amusement parks, orchards, arboretum, wildlife safaris, museums, eco-commercial enclaves and eco-lodges but with little disruption in the natural vegetation as possible.

It will also have a spiritual enclave to cater for spiritual/worship activities that bring more than 180,000 people annually to the Achimota Forest. There are also plans for high seating capacity conference rooms to be sited outside the main forest area.

Commenting on the benefits, he said: “Apart from making the city of Accra a world class recreational area, the project will create numerous benefits and have a multiplier effect in job creation. 

It will create about 4,000 jobs during the construction phase. These will include draughtsmen, plumbers, civil engineers, welders, masons, architects, electricians, planners, surveyors and many others, who will receive more than US$200 million in income over the  10 year period.

During the operational phase, more than 2,000 direct and 10,000 indirect jobs will be created. This will include tour guides, caterers, drivers, accountants and many others.

The Forestry Commission will  also receive  about 20 percent of the revenue generated whiles government will receive revenue amounting to about US$186million as corporate tax, US$15million as PAYE and about USU$18million in social security payments.

For the private sector, numerous business opportunities will be created to enhance the contribution of the forestry sector to the national development.

The Chief Executive Officer of Aikan Capital Limited, Mr. Oheneba Otchere, said the project makes room for the planting of more trees to enhance the forest cover adding that the lease agreement allows Aikan Capital to design, build and operate the facility for 10 years.

The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Nii Osah Mills said the Achimota Forest Reserve had long been recognised as having outstanding potential for tourism development, considering its location in the city.

“The Accra Eco-Park development has, therefore, been conceived to provide a unique opportunity to demonstrate to the business community and the public that ecotourism is a viable, environmentally friendly, employment-creating, sustainable income-generating venture,” he said.

It will add to the country’s major national parks—Kakum in the Central Region and Mole in the Northern Region.

Mr. Samuel Afari Dartey, the Chief Executive of the Forestry Commission, said there was the need to undertake innovative ecotourism development as a means to safeguard the ecological integrity of the forest.

He said the Eco-Park Project will target about 2 per cent of all visitors to West Africa Sub-region, attracting more than 600,000 visitors to the Accra Eco-Park annually.

“It is important that all stakeholders including government agencies and fringe communities cooperate and deliver services in a holistic manner to make this Eco-park a unique one in the sub-region,” he remarked.