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The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Alhaji Inusah Fuseini, has set up a five-member committee, which will be tasked to structure out procedures to help facilitate the transformation of the Achimota Forest into a tourism facility, to be called Eco-Park. The inter-agency committee, which will be chaired by the Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Mrs. Barbara Serwah Asamoah, consists of Mr. Abu-Juam, a Technical Director at the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, and Mr. Raphael Yeboah, Executive Director of the Forest Services Division. The rest are Mr. Samuel E.K. Anku, Deputy Executive Director at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Mr. Rubben Kwadzofio, Assistant Director at the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts. Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, which was held at the Achimota Forest on Tuesday, Alhaji Fuseini said transforming the forest into an eco-tourism facility would make it a major tourist destination in Ghana and the sub region. Alhaji Fuseini, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale Central, was of the view that the conversion of the forest would also cut the current degradation the reserve was confronted with, and also bring about enormous economic benefits to the country. �I have been informed that the project is expected to [a] generate gross annual revenue of U$5 million when completed and fully operational,� he disclosed. He went on to say the said project was expected to further generate over 2,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities at both the developmental and operational stages. According to him, it was a �fantastic� economic opportunity that a country like Ghana must embrace to help maximise her benefits for the socio-economic empowerment of the people. To that effect, he said the government had given its full support for the development of the Achimota Forest into an Eco-Park. In a swift response, the Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, who is also the chairman of the Committee, thanked her substantive Minister for the honour done her, adding, �As a committee, we want to indicate our acceptance of the task, and pledge our willingness and preparedness to deliver the assignment with all diligence and vigour.� She lamented that aside the beaches, the people of Accra had no special place to visit during holidays or weekends to have fun, but was, however, hopeful that the completion of the Eco-park would provide the people a world class tourism centre. She called upon all stakeholders to bring in their ideas which will be required for the execution of the plans. The Executive Director of the Forest Commission (FC) said the purpose of the proposed conversion of the forest into an eco-tourism facility was to make sure Ghanaians benefit from the forest. He thanked the Minister for his assurance to ensure the forest would be transformed into an eco-tourism facility, and also the former sector Minister, Alhaji Collins Dauda, who, he said, welcomed the project during his tenure with �both hands�.