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British scientist banned from Ghana dam site
via WILDAFRICA.NET by University of Aberdeen
A British scientist has been banned from Bui National Park in Ghana, which is due to be flooded by a hydroelectric dam next year. Daniel Bennett claims he is the only living scientist to have conducted biological research in the 1,800km2 reserve, which he says contains "the last pristine wilderness in the entire Volta System". The park is home to the largest of only two groups of hippos left in Ghana. Bennett claims the dam will destroy all the feeding grounds of the hippos, and that their only chance of survival is to create alternative feeding areas around the flooded area.
Having conducted research in the park with a 50 strong team in 1996 and 1997, Bennett returned to Ghana in March this year to complete a longstanding agreement with the authorities to continue his work. On arrival he was told that the area was politically sensitive, that his studies were no longer in the national interest, that his permission to conduct the research had been withdrawn and that he should not visit the park or surrounding area.
"If the government don't want me, that's their business" said Bennett yesterday from his home in Glossop. "I've no wish to interfere with Ghana's development plans, I thought I was helping them. But I do want to say that Bui has been shamefully neglected by the scientific community, both in Ghana and worldwide. It's vast, it's the last decent riverine forest in Ghana and we know virtually nothing about it. The only people who have tried to conduct research there are the late Paul Choribe and myself. It's not an easy place to work, but it's teeming with wildlife and we have only scratched the surface. If the only other investigations that are made before the place is destroyed are by the people under contract to the dam construction company it would be a terrible tragedy. ".
Bennett claims he is £4000 in debt over the cancelled project. "I couldn't do the research so I have to pay the sponsors back. I'd taken all the equipment over and the team was half in place. I don't know how long it will take me to pay it back, probably years". Bennett holds an honorary position at the University of Aberdeen and conducts research on a voluntary basis, raising the money through grants and award applications.
The $900 million hydroelectric project is scheduled to start producing power in 2006. A Canadian company, Acres, has been contracted to conduct the Environmental Impact Assessment by the Volta River Authority in Ghana. The dam will be built by a consortium lead by Brown and Root of the U.K., and construction is due to begin in 2002. The newly created 660km2 lake will flood all the riverine forest in the park. The government has indicated that animals from Bui will be relocated, something Bennett is sceptical about. "Hippos are very big and extremely dangerous. There isn't anywhere for them to be moved to that isn't full of people and in any case catching 400 hippos would be impossible. It would be carnage".
Press statement from mampam.com
tel: 01457 855972 email: mampam@mampam.com
Further information:
http://allafrica.com/stories/200103270262.html- article from Ghana Independent, March 29 2001
http://hippo.50megs.com- Bui Hippo Project website
http://www.mampam.com- Daniel Bennett's research projects
References:
Bennett, D. and B. Basuglo (editors). 1998. Wildlife of Bui National Park, Ghana. Viper Press. 114pp.
Bennett,D., N. Green and B.Basuglo. 2000. The abundance of Hippopotamus amphibius in the Black Volta River at Bui National Park, Ghana. African Journal of Ecology. 38:372-373
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