According to the King, the Mole Game Reserve which is truly a national asset and see tourists flocking for a pastime or two, is currently suffering from the lack of modernisation and increase in animal variety and population.
Speaking at the 2011 Damba Festival of the Chiefs and people of Gonjaland at Damango recently, the Yagbonwura bemoaned that the park which is one of the largest tourism sites in Ghana had been deserted for far too long by successive governments, even though it has the potential to boost Ghana’s economic.
He said “the time has come for government to engage the Gonja Traditional Council in a serious discourse particularly by the establishment of a Board of Trustees that would have a link with the traditional authorities and the people of Gonja to ensure that the great asset is not mismanaged or destroyed”.
Unfortunately, a journey to the Mole National Park is a complete nightmare to both local and foreign tourists, who patronise the place, due to the extremely poor nature of the access road.
Apart from the Central Gonja District capital, Buipe, which is accidentally located on the Tamale-Kumasi highway, almost the entire Gonjaland, which constitutes over 53% of the total land mass of the Northern Region, has not got a single tarred road.
Even though the Gonja people are highly business-minded and agricultural inclined, they always suffer turbulent moments in linking up with other towns and cities with their business, services or farm produce.
The Yagbonwura lamented that almost all the Gonja District capitals and their surrounding communities had cut off from each other with the Fulfuso-Damango-Sawla, Tamale-Salaga-Makango-Kpandai and Damango-Daboya and Damango-Bole roads remaining the most unmotorable.
That notwithstanding, the government according to the King, had made little or no effort to ensure that the variety of animals in the reserve were given the requisite attention, medications and meal to reproduce adequately to enrich the reserve.
He entreated the government to give the place the modernisation it deserve and also market it properly to the international world.
The Yagbonwura has also appealed to the government to restock the heavily depleted wildlife resources within the Mole Game Reserve and also find ways of re-stocking other species of animals to enable the park stand unique.
Meanwhile, the Mole National Park is the largest of Ghana's National Parks and situated in the heart of the Guinea savannah woodland ecosystem. It is a home to 93 mammalian species, 33 reptiles, nine (9) amphibians and an estimated 300 birds species.
The mammals include some 600 elephants, 2,000 roam antelopes, 3,000 hartebeests, 4,000 waterbucks, 5,000 buffalo and some 6,000 warthogs. Uncounted lions, leopards, hyenas and various primates can also be seen in Mole. A total of 600km of game protection and viewing roads have been developed within the park. A basic 33-bed, no frills hotel facility, which overlooks an elephant bath, offers overnight accommodation and restaurant facilities. Additionally, composite facilities are available for visitors. A landing strip for small aircraft provides the option of air access to Mole.
By bus and starting from Accra, it is best to take the Inter City STC to Kumasi, which costs GH¢8.00. For the six hour ride, the STC has stable seats and most have air conditioning, it is worth the extra money to avoid the back ache later.
By STC bus from Kumasi you will have to go first to Tamale for approximately GH¢5.00, then to Mole for about GH¢3.00.
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