Jinapor promotes Savannah Region in Parliament

The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel A. Jinapor, has mounted a spirited call for investment and tourism in the Savannah Region, one of the six new regions created by Government in 2019.

He made the call on Wednesday when he spoke in Parliament on the Savannah Region’s historical and contemporary contribution to the political and socio-economic development of Ghana, as part of the 65^th Independence anniversary of the country and the Heritage Month of March.

Mr Samuel Jinapor, who is also the Member of Parliament for the Damongo constituency, said even though the region is new, its indigenes contributed significantly to the struggle for independence.

Past glories

He recalled the contributions of the likes of J.A. Braimah, who served as a member of the Coussey Committee on constitutional reforms in the late 1940s, and later one of the first persons from the north to become a member of the Legislative Assembly and Cabinet Minister. He also mentioned E. A. Mahama, father of former President John Dramani Mahama, who also served as a member of the Legislative Assembly and Minister under Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.

Mr Jinapor also mentioned several other distinguished personalities from the region who served the country in various capacities from the Second Republic to the current Fourth Republican dispensation.

Touching on tourism, he said the 4,577 sq. kilometre Mole National Park hosts over 93 mammal species, including elephants, buffalos, kobs, western hartebeest, roan antelope, defassa waterbuck, oribi, bohor reedbuck and red-flanked duikers, as well as endangered species like the yellow-backed duiker, black and white colobus monkeys, leopards and lions.

In addition to the mammal species, he disclosed, the Park also has over three hundred and thirty-four bird species, thirty-three reptiles, nine amphibian species, and one hundred and twenty butterfly species.

Call for visit

He called on Ghanaians, and foreigners alike, to visit the Mole National Park, at least, once a year.

“Spending a day or two at an ecotourism site, like the Mole Park, according to experts, refreshes the entire being of a person,” the MP said.

According to him, people who visit the Mole National Park have the opportunity to also visit other exciting tourist sites within the same catchment area, like the Ancient Mosque and Mystic Stone at Larabanga, the Hippopotamus Sanctuary at Ntereso, the Slave Market and Wells at Salaga, the Black and White Volta Confluence at Lourchira and the Royal Mausoleum for Gonja Kings at Mankuma.

On investment, Mr Jinapor said the region offers huge investment opportunities in agriculture, extractives and transportation. He called on the private sector to take advantage of these investment opportunities, particularly in the area of agriculture and Rosewood plantation.

He commended President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for honouring his promise to create the Savannah Region, and pledged the commitment of the chiefs and people of the region, especially the youth, to help build the nation.