Accra — Sizes and number of wild animals, according to Conservation International's literature on the Bush Meat Trade, are diminishing at a very fast rate as dangerous methods of hunting such as chemicals and sophisticated weapons are being used in hunting. The future of wildlife, food security and the sustainability of our ecosystems which support life in the Upper Guinea are in danger.

On all fronts, the country and its citizens stand in danger on the bush meat trade. Ecologically, the nation is losing out on the wild life that nurture the soil and aid cross-pollination. Bush meat consumers are in danger of food poisoning as dangerous chemicals used in unscrupulous hunting methods get into the blood stream.

There is every reason for the entire Ghanaian society to join in the crusade to save our wild life. The question is: How does society ensure the compliance of various mechanisms put in place to save wild-life in the country when almost all traditional eating joints popularly called 'chop bars' specialize in serving bush meat? The answer lies in the education of customers to get them to stop demanding bush meat as delicacy.

"It would seem that currently, the socio-cultural, legal, biological and religious control and management practices have broken down. For example, over the past five years, it has been observed that the bush meat trade has continued unabated during the Annual Closed Season on hunting, covering the period 1 August to 1 December."According to Conservation International, Ghana in their handbook published in February.

Weekend Agenda believes that education holds the key. We believe most people who patronize our traditional chop bars are unaware of their harmful effects to the ecology and their own health. Chances are that most of the hunters do not even know or understand the concept of the closed season.

That is why it is very important for the district assemblies and traditional rulers to be involved in the education process. It would be very difficult to convince hunters, many of the very poor, not to hunt for wild animals when that is the only route to a decent meal. A vigorous education programme at the village level would work magic. Information Services Department cinema vans could do a number of trips to the rural communities with films on the breeding cycle of wild animals as well as the harmful effects of hunting with chemicals is equally important.

Side by side with education should go the political will to stop the trade. For instance, enforcement of the various laws against hunting should be rigorously enforced. There should be punitive sanctions against hunting of and purchase of wild animals especially during the ban on hunting season.

At the end of the day, Weekend Agenda believes the saving grace is the political will to enforce the various laws passed against hunting of certain species of animals. The laws need to be tightened and enforced. When a few people are jailed for violating the laws on bush meat, the society's attitude to the trade in and the hunting of wild animals will change. We do not have to wait until all animals are extinct before we look for solution to the problem.