BRITISH RESEARCHER THROWN OUT

As controversy over proposed construction of Bui hydopower Dam in Ghana deepens

By Mike Anane

After months of preparing to come to Ghana to continue with a research on hippopotamus and crocodile populations at the Bui National Park,where a 400 Mw hydropower Dam is to be constructed, Mr. Daniel Bennett, a biologist from the University of Aberdeen in Great Britain is now vowing never to return to this country.

This follows a recent decision by Mr. Nick Ankudey, Director of the Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission in Ghana abrogating a long standing agreement between them and asking Mr.Bennett not to set foot into the Bui National Park and surrounding villages to continue with the research since the "Bui hydro power dam and related issues are very sensitive and political".

Speaking to journalist,Mike Anane, an obviously shocked Mr. Bennett explained that since 1994, he has been conducting research with the Ghana Wildlife Division in the National Park. In 1996, he returned to Ghana to conduct some more research. Between May and August 1997, he also led a team of 41 people of eight nationalities to carry out surveys of the diverse communities of animal groups including hippos and crocodiles in the Bui National Park where the hydropower project is to be located.

Mr. Bennett disclosed that he conceived of the project because there hasn't been any such survey of the animals in the Bui National Park after almost 30 years of its existence. "I am the only foreigner to have shown a non-commercial interest in the Bui Park in all 30 years
of its existence. Our work there represents the only scientific report on the area published since the 1960's," he explained.

He stated that in 1998, the Wildlife Division gave him permission to return to the Bui National Park to conduct further research, specifically to build tree houses in the park in order to survey the hippos,crocodiles and monitor lizards there. The department confirmed their approval in 1999 and again in February 2001.

Mr. Bennett said he arrived about two and half weeks ago in the country to continue the research only to be told that his permission to conduct further research in the Bui National Park had been withdrawn. "The Director of the Wildlife Division told me that I was not even allowed to visit the National Park even as a tourist, he further wrote to their staff at Bui National Park instructing them not to cooperate with me. They should also prevent me from entering the park".

According to Mr. Bennett, the Director told him that he did not like the comments he made on his (Bennett's) web site regarding the previous government's plan to start the construction of a hydro-electric dam in the Bui National Park in 2001 and the effect it will have on food availability for the endangered hippos that live there.

"The Director further told me that the "Bui hydro power dam and related issues are very sensitive and political and that my research and presence in the National Park was no longer in the national interest", Bennett disclosed

But Mr. Bennett explained that the website contains findings of his research which he posted there for the benefit of the Scientific Community, the Ghana Wildlife Division, Ghanaian and foreign biology students and all those interested in wildlife. "There is nothing sinister about the content of my website which can be found at http://hippo.50megs.com (and) http://mampam.com I have maintained
a neutral stance on the proposed construction of the dam in the national
park in all my reports and I have always, emphasised that the area is the least understood natural wilderness in Ghana and a
great deal more research in the area is required." He disclosed.

When this writer contacted Mr. Nick Ankudey, Director of the Wildlife
Division for his comments on the issue, he simply said "I find Mr. Bennett's comments on his website unacceptable, I would
not allow him to continue with his research in the park. When he was
pressed further for explanation he stated "I won't comment further, I have explained it to Mr. Bennett, go and see him"

But Mr. Bennett, disclosed that nothing had been explained to him. "All
that Mr. Ankudey told me was that he doesn't like my website and I cannot go to the Bui National park as a researcher and I
cannot even go there as a tourist. I have been coming to this country
since 1994 to conduct research with the Wildlife Division I enjoy working with them, I have fallen in love with this country and have
since been coming here to conduct more research. I haven't had any
problem with anyone, I have no evil intentions but suddenly no one at the department wants to talk to me let alone give me permission to go to the national park, this is very strange and I am very sad and greatly disturbed," he stated.

When the Chief Director of the Ministry of Lands, Forestry and Mines,
Mr. Atiemo was contacted, he said he knew nothing about the Wildlife Division's decision and he will hold discussions on the issue with Mr. Ankudey and the Minister of Lands, Forestry and Mines.

Early this week, Mr. Bennett sent a petition to the Minister of Lands,
Forestry and Mines, Dr. Kwaku Afriyie, appealing to him to look into the matter and grant him permission to carry out his research at Bui.

"All I want to do is to count the hippos, crocodiles and monitor lizards
and build tree houses as part of my research, spend my money and go home. I am very proud of the work we have done at Bui. It
represents the only independent research ever carried out in the park.
It has also been undertaken at our own expense and in the spirit of scientific enquiry. I have no intention of denouncing plans for a
hydroelectric dam at Bui" Mr. Bennett stated in the petition.

He explained that he has been very reluctant to petition against the
Division's decision but considering his previous record of research in the country, the considerable effort he has made to learn about the biology of Bui National Park, and the very neutral stance he has adopted towards the proposed construction of the Hydropower Dam in the park, he feels the decision is unduly harsh.

Information reaching this writer at the time of going to press however
indicated that the Minister of Lands, Forestry and Mines had received the petition and written to Mr. Bennett to comply with the decision of the Wildlife Division not to set foot into the Bui National Park.

When asked of his next line of action, a tearful Mr. Bennett said the
"Minister has spoken, your government supports the Wildlife Division's decision and does not want me to go into the national
park to conduct the research, I can't comment on the issue any more, I
just have to leave the country."

Shocked and seething with discontent, some members of the local and
international community of conservationists that I spoke to denounced the Wildlife Division's decision, which they described variously as "arbitrary, capricious, excessive and unnecessary". For them, the "decision is utterly illogical and an insult to democracy and justice".

A fuming environmentalist who preferred anonymity said, it is ironic
that the Wildlife Division in Ghana is preventing an independent researcher from conducting surveys on wildlife in the Bui National Park when the findings of the research will go to benefit the same Wildlife Division and the country. According to the environmentalist "What is mind boggling is that, in a letter dated 28th December 1998, the same Director of the Wildlife Division gave Mr Bennett the approval to publish
the report of his work, the contents of which are no different from what
is on his website. In another letter dated 26th January 1999, this same Director was full of praises for Bennett's work in the National Park which he described as excellent and useful to the Wildlife Division and he even added that Mr. Bennett and his group will continue to receive the division's unflinching support for future projects."

"So, why has the Director suddenly changed when he knew right from day one that the research Bennett was conducting in the park and he even gave him approval to publish his findings and also went ahead to grant him the permission to come to Ghana to continue the research. So, why did he suddenly turn around and ask him not to continue with the research in the park and why did the Director have to wait till Bennett arrived in Ghana, having spent so much money on equipment and
airfare before telling him that he should not continue with his research
in the National park when they knew well in advance that the man was coming to Ghana? This is very wicked and most unfair" said
the environmentalist who asked not to be named since he believes "that
there are very ruthless forces behind the whole Bui thing".

Describing the decision of the wildlife division as extremely dangerous
and cynical, Mr. Joshua Awuku Apau of the Green Earth Organisation in Ghana said the decision could taint the image of the country, the government should therefore set up a committee to look into the matter immediately before Bennett leaves the country.

The decision of the Wildlife Division and the Minister of Lands,
Forestry and Mines has however convinced a number of environmentalists that their worst fears were right "decision making processes involving the proposed Bui Hydropower dam is fundamentally flawed and lacks transparency. Intimidation and harassment shall also follow all nosey ones like Mr. Bennett who open their mouths too wide on the impact of the project".

A growing number of people now believe that the dam proponents have a
lot to hide and Mr. Bennett is being harassed and intimidated for stating the truth on his website about the impact of the Bui Hydropower dam on the Hippos and other wildlife species in the
park. "The decision by the Division is therefore only to prevent him from unearthing more truth which will obviously be different
from what ACRES, a Canadian firm contracted by the dam developers will present to the country as an Environmental Impact Assessment."

Some dam critics have also been quick to say that the decision of the
Director of the Wildlife Division is not surprising as, "it is a very familiar tune from dam developers and their local henchmen.
The long legs of the shadowy forces behind the mischief are certainly
not missing from the dance floor".

While some describe the Wildlife Division's action as a case of
"professional jealousy", others simply postulate that maybe the "stingy British guy did not give enough Kola to the boys"

As concerns mount over the Country's Wildlife Division's decision, poor
Mr. Daniel Bennett disclosed that he "cannot continue to hang around here and wait in vain, this is not what I came to do, I came to count hippos and Crocodiles but I was not allowed to do that. I am getting ready to pack my equipment, jerseys and footballs that I brought down as gifts to
the kids at Bui and surrounding villages, I will then go round and say goodbye to my friends and get lost"

For some local and foreign conservationists, researchers and tourists
who intend visiting or conducting research in the Bui National Park and surrounding villages, the storm is not over as the signals they are receiving from the treatment meted out to Bennett indicate that nosey researchers, Journalists and tourists are not welcome at the Bui National Park. For them, the Wildlife Division's decision echoes Ghana's new government's position on the Bui Hydropower dam project and the
message is clear. Speculation is now rife that the Government is not
tolerant of dissenting views on the impact of the proposed Bui hydropower project.

As the dam developers and their local allies gird their loins "to do
everything possible to drown the ugly noise from these anti -development people calling themselves environmentalists", one thing that
obviously cannot be wished away easily is that the disappointed and
frustrated Daniel Bennett can never bottle up his feelings and keep his mouth shut. He will forever continue to tell the story of how
the government of Ghana banned him from entering a place that he had
been conducting research for over five years with the explanation that the related issues are too "sensitive and political and the comments on his website are unacceptable."

Undaunted by the looming threats from the dam proponents, critics
however maintain that "the proposed Bui hydropower dam symbolizes an outdated and internationally discredited approach to water management. The survival of the diverse rare plant and wildlife
species in the National Park is also inextricably linked to human survival. The truth about the impact of the proposed Bui Hydropower project on plants, wildlife, health, human rights and the economic status of the local people will therefore continue to be drummed to the whole world loud and clear.