We need financial assistance to revitalize the Duasidan Monkey Sanctuary – Centre Leaders plead

Duasidan is a modest community nestled within the Dormaa Central Constituency of the Bono Region, predominantly inhabited by farmers.

The community garners recognition within Dormaa and the Bono Region due to the presence of monkeys, which hold the potential to transform the area into a tourist attraction, should it be revitalized to enhance its appeal. Despite the precarious condition of the monkey sanctuary, an NGO visited some years ago to construct a small house to accommodate the leaders and caretakers of the monkeys, facilitating the reception of visitors who occasionally come to witness the monkeys, including students and other guests.

In conversation with the caretakers of the monkeys, Mr. Kwabena Kuma, the center’s custodian, lamented that their aspirations to render the locale an alluring tourist site, owing to the monkeys, have persisted for over 25 years with little or no governmental support, thus hindering the realization of their vision.

He lamented the absence of salaries or allowances for their roles as caretakers, a predicament that stymies their objective of establishing the area as a monkey sanctuary for tourism. He highlighted their struggle to secure sustenance due to the neglect of their services, underscoring their unwavering commitment to the development of the site until their last breath. He implores the government and other stakeholders to lend their support in transforming the area into a tourist destination, thereby augmenting the Internally Generated Funds (IGF) of the Dormaa Central Municipal Assembly, as visitors from beyond Ghana would flock to observe the monkeys.

Mr. Kwabena Kyeremeh, also known as Bob, a caretaker who nourishes the monkeys, reveals the methods by which they are fed and the sources of their sustenance. He mentioned that the monkeys consume maize, papaya, bananas, ripe plantains, cassava, among other things, emphasizing that despite his advanced age, if they are unable to procure these food items, he must venture to the farm to gather provisions or traverse the residences within Duasidan to solicit cassava and other essentials for the monkeys.

He disclosed that although there is a small shelter under construction for them, there are no sleeping quarters to accommodate them or other visitors, and there is no recreational center to entertain guests. Therefore, he is appealing to the government and other stakeholders to come to their aid to enhance the site’s appeal for tourism.