A new recreation park in Ghana that will cost US$ 1.2bn is set for construction and a sod-cutting ceremony was held to mark the beginning of the development project.
The Accra Eco Park will be constructed in phases which are scheduled for completion in the next five and seven years. However, the first phase is projected to be completed in the next 24 months.
It is being undertaken by the Forestry Commission and its private partner, Aikan Capital Limited.
In a speech read on his behalf, President John Dramani Mahama said his government had decided to convert the Achimota Forest into a top-notch recreational facility and a key tourism destination in the West African region. This will also serve to discourage further encroachment and dumping of waste into the forest.
“This development will preserve the only green belt in Accra and allow the forest to continue functioning as a carbon sink and clean the air, while at the same time it will create jobs and business opportunities for the private sector,” read the speech.
The mega development will comprise the construction of amusement parks, orchards, an arboretum, wildlife safaris, museums, eco-commercial enclaves and eco-lodges and will affect the natural vegetation as little as possible. It will also involve a spiritual enclave to cater for spiritual/worship activities that bring more than 180,000 people annually to the Achimota Forest. High seating capacity conference rooms are also set to be constructed outside the main forest area.
The new Accra Eco Park Project will target about 2% of all visitors to West Africa Sub-region, attracting more than 600,000 visitors to the park annually.
