Former Wildlife Division official: It’s illegal in Ghana to keep a tiger at home
Ghanaian philanthropist Nana Kwame Bediako, popularly known as Freedom Jacob Caesar confirmed staying with two tigers in his Wonder World Estates, Avenue Lincoln near the British High Commission at Ridge in Accra
Joseph Yaw Oppong, the former public relations officer of the Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission has said it is illegal for individuals to keep a tiger or lion in their home.
Ghanaian philanthropist Nana Kwame Bediako, popularly known as Freedom Jacob Caesar confirmed staying with two tigers in his Wonder World Estates, Avenue Lincoln near the British High Commission at Ridge in Accra.
“There are animals that should not be touched at all,” Oppong said on The Asaase Breakfast Show on Friday (20 May). “They are wholly protected animal… Tiger, lion and all the important cuds are part of it including elephant, so these are some of the animals that should not be kept by anybody except the Wildlife Division that has the authority to manage them.”
“In case there is a need for the use of any of such animals, the person has to apply through the Wildlife executive director through the Forestry Commission CEO and even to the President in some cases. It is the President who can give permission through these organisations for any of these animals to be used for the purpose of any function within the country,” Oppong told the show host Kwaku Nhyira-Addo.
He added: “So, no individual has the power to keep tiger, lion, leopard in the house. They are not animals that we entertain in Ghana here, and so if somebody is having a tiger in the house, then the person might have gone through all these processes, otherwise even going through the process Wildlife Division knows their job and they will not permit such an animal to be kept in any house.”
Listen to Joseph Yaw Oppong in the attached audio below:
Police investigation
The police in Accra have also confirmed the presence of the two tigers in Caesar’s residence in the capital, Accra, saying they are getting experts at the Wildlife Division to relocate the animals.
“Preliminary investigations have established that a resident in a gated community at Osu, is keeping two tigers under lock in a cage in his house,” the police statement dated 19 May 2022 said. “The police have reached out to the Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission and efforts are underway to relocate the animals to an appropriate facility.”
“A special police team has been deployed to provide adequate security in the affected neighbourhood to ensure the safety of residents until the animals are relocated,” the statement signed by Chief Inspector Bright Kwabena Danso at the Accra regional office said.
Who’s Jacob Caesar?
The Ghanaian is the driving force behind the Freedom Coin – a native African utility token that arose from Freedom’s desire to educate the youth about investing and development. In a recent publication by Yahoo Finance, he was described as a well-known African philanthropist and entrepreneur, who is making waves with his latest announcement: “I will invest 20% back into the first 15 million people who invest in Freedom Coin.”
“With Freedom Coin, I am looking forward to Africans rediscovering the worth of our legacy. My forebears bestowed riches and intelligence to me, and I intend to return the favor. That’s why I am giving away billions of Freedom Coins to the first 15 million investors across Africa. I believe in our collective power to build this great continent together,” he said in the publication.
Freedom Jacob Caesar was named Ghana’s CEO of the Decade in 2021, and chairs Kwarleyz Group, which comprises five companies: Wonda World Estates, Petronia City Development, New Africa Construction, Belfast City & Property Management and New Africa Foundation.
Caesar was born in Ghana and an alumnus of the University of Westminster in London.
He is a Ghanaian developer, philanthropist and visionary who has changed the skyline of Ghana with his landmark developments (Wonda World), ushering in a grand template for Africa, according to kuulpeeps.
Fred Dzakpata
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