Assessing the level of awareness of relevant CITES stakeholders in Ghana

Abstract

Trabajo Fin de Máster Propio. Tutor: Dr. Kwakye Ameyaw ; Cotutora: Mercedes Núñez Román. The research was carried out within CITES operational areas in Ghana with the view to investigating the level of awareness of all relevant stakeholders of CITES in Ghana for any existing knowledge gap to be addressed in order to engender an effective awareness creation system to facilitate CITES implementation in Ghana. Specifically, the four-fold objectives were intended to assess the knowledge base and level of awareness of relevant stakeholders on CITES, broaden the stakeholder base and their roles in CITES implementation, examine existing mechanisms for awareness creation on CITES and identify challenges associated with awareness creation among relevant CITES stakeholders in Ghana and finally, solicit relevant stakeholders’ inputs on how to address identifiable challenges associated with awareness creation for CITES implementation in Ghana. The methodology used for data collection included an initial review of existing literature on CITES, the use of purposive sampling method to identify the relevant stakeholders, the use of questionnaires and interview guides to solicit identifiable stakeholders’ views on various agencies that could potentially qualify as stakeholders on CITES to contribute towards effective awareness creation, existing awareness creation mechanisms and challenges associated with them and how to address these challenges to improve upon awareness creation for effective CITES implementation in Ghana.. Finally, the CITES Trade database was analyzed to know the effect of awareness creation on wildlife trade in Ghana. Results of the study revealed among other things that, most of the relevant stakeholders interviewed had inadequate knowledge on CITES and that the number of years spent on their jobs as stakeholders did not necessarily reflect on their knowledge levels. The results further revealed that additional potential CITES stakeholders are available to be deployed from existing state regulatory institutions to help improve on CITES awareness creation in Ghana. Similarly, respondents were unanimous on the need for the number of scientific authorities to be increased to facilitate research to promote CITES information for dissemination to stakeholders. In its generality, there was a consensus on the urgent need for a comprehensive awareness creation strategy be developed and enforced to help improve on the level of awareness of stakeholders on CITES issues in Ghana.