Nestled within the lush campus of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi, Ghana is one of the most important green spaces in the city and the country at large. Established in 1960, the garden was created to support teaching, research and conservation of plant species, particularly those found in tropical environments. The garden covers a little over 60 acres and preserves over 180 species of trees and other varieties including indigenous Ghanaian plants and introduced species is also home to a variety of birds, insects and other wildlife. This rich diversity makes the garden an important center for botanical research and biodiversity conservation in the region.
Beyond its academic purpose, the KNUST Botanical Garden also serves as a recreational and ecological sanctuary. With its dense vegetation, shaded pathways and quiet natural environment, it provides a peaceful retreat for students, staff and visitors seeking relaxation and a connection with nature.
Visitors of the garden often go there on guided tours, organized picnics and group or personal prayer expeditions. The latter for some time now questions the decision to allow visitors into the garden for religious journeys. As normalized in this country, many people visit botanical sanctuaries to connect not only with nature, but with God as well. The botanical garden is a serene environment that breeds a sound mind for payer and meditation. However, on a frequent visit to the garden, it was observed that an unknown denomination had set up equipment in the garden, actively holding a church service where the word of God was being blasted across at full volume. The serenity of the environment was no doubt broken in that moment. This overrides the whole point of a botanical garden. The absence of peace and quiet in the garden beats the purpose of visiting the botanical garden. Revenue from visits may take a huge dip as interest in the garden seems to have taken a nosedive. More importantly, the chaos caused may drive away species such as birds and insects which may find the area unsafe for habitation, permanently displacing them over time.
Another concerning incident chanced upon was the illegal entry of a vehicle suspected of being used to convey church equipment to and from the botanical garden. Seeing as a majority of the life being protected in the garden are insects and other little critters, it is easily understood why vehicles of all sorts are prohibited from entering the premises. Many insects may be crushed and their homes built tediously over time, instantly destroyed. As insignificant as it may seem, displacing as little as an insect colony may go a long way to disrupt the immediate ecosystem and beyond.
Lastly and most importantly, bullet casings of a shotgun were found on the garden grounds indicating hunting takes place in the preserved area. This is a major violation of environmental laws and deserves immediate attention from authorities as what is the point of a forest reserve if the life it is to protect is being strategically hunted for food and possibly leisure.
These occurrences although of great concern, are just a margin of a longstanding nationwide problem of neglect for national property. National monuments are left to deplete and phase out, rivers are being polluted by illegal miners, affluent men and women are clogging water ways to build huge mansions.
If we continue to put profit first in our decisions as a country, we should forget about future generations having no resources to build on as at this rate, we ourselves would have little to nothing to survive on as a people.
Protecting the earth is only a governing body’s job, it is however every
individual’s responsibility as where do we go when it all comes crumbling down. Every action counts, LET’S SAVE THE WORLD!!!
Bryan Jackson
2nd Year Student
KNUST
