Bakanta(W/R), Jan 11, GNA – The Ghana Environmental Advocacy Group (GEAG) has called on stakeholders to pay urgent attention to the River Amanzule Corridor in the Ellembelle District of the Western Region as a critical resource with great tourists potentials.
They said the resource when harnessed, could change the economic fortunes of the people living around the Amanzule enclave.
The Amanzule River runs through the Jomoro District, including; the famous Nzulezo, and through several other towns in the Ellembelle District before finally entering the sea at Azulenloanu, also in Ellembelle.
This was was in a statement issued and signed by the Convener of the group, Madam Elizabeth Allua Vaah and copied to the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Ellembelle, Mr.Kwasi Bonzo, the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of GNPC Foundation, Ghana Gas Company, ENi Ghana and the Ghana Tourist Board.
The Omanhene of Eastern Nzema Traditional Council, Awulae Amihere Kpanyinli and the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ellembelle, Mr.Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah were also copied in the statement.
According to the statement, on Wednesday, January 05, 2022, a team of five including; Madam Allua Vaah embarked on an expedition to the Northern part of the River Amanzule from Bakanta.
It mentioned many wonderful areas with tremendous tourist potentials such as the beautiful, intricate mangroves along the Bakanta side of the river and the dangerous rapid, the calm waters along the Krisan/Bakanta border.
The rest were the Amanzule-Fia meeting point, the mysterious Yelalera (burnt) area with its centuries old standing dead trees in quicksand, the Ala-Bokazo-Eikwe-Ebonloa stretch with its gigantic forest and majestic raffia trees.
The statement said the potential for relaxation, wonder, education and cultural re-orientation were endless.
It said the team however identified an important and urgent problem as the corridor is almost blocked along several spots.
“There are overgrown mangrove shoots that have reduced several spots to only a “squeeze through pathway”, the statement said.
It added that with about two kilometers from the Ala-Bokazo-Eikwe bridge, the corridor was blocked by several uprooted trees and raffia palm trees.
It said such blockages ought to be cleared as soon as practicable to prevent the permanent blockage of such an iconic Nzema identity and resource with great income earning and job creation potential.
The statement said GEAG had taken measures to resuscitate the Amanzule Corridor resource and requested for funding with an initial budget of GHS5 million to be made available for the clearing of the blockages from along the corridor to enable free flow of traffic and free up the river for its full tourists potentials to be realized.
The funding is also meant to facilitate the creation of at least four rest stops along the corridor for users to embark and disembark while traveling on or along the river.
It would also ensure the creation of at least five kilometers of safe footpath and viewing posts along the corridor for people to take nature walks along the river.
“Given the abundance of local labour with extensive knowledge of the river, this can be achieved at a reasonable cost with enormous economic, social and environmental benefits to the people both within the corridor and beyond”, the statement said.
The Amanzule River runs through Jomoro and Ellembelle Districts bordering several towns including; Ebonloa, Edobo, Eikwe, Ala-Bokazo, Krisan, Sanzule, Bakanta, Ambainu and enters the sea at Azulenloanu.
It remains one of the few rivers in the Western Region that had not been destroyed by activities of galamsey, which has destroyed Ankobra, Tano, Subile and other rivers and lakes in the Region.