Yaw Adu-Gyamfi Urges Kumasi to Keep Zoo at City’s Heart, Citing Global Sustainability Lessons from Hamburg
As Ghana debates the future of the Kumasi Zoological Gardens, Yaw Adu-Gyamfi, Chairperson of the Ghana Hubs Network, is making a compelling case against relocating the iconic facility, drawing inspiration from global sustainability trends showcased at the 2025 Future Economy Day of the Hamburg Sustainability Conference.
Speaking through a recent opinion blog, Adu-Gyamfi emphasized that Kumasi must embrace, not evict, its central green spaces, warning that moving the zoo to the city’s outskirts could be a step backward for environmental equity, education, and urban resilience.
Lessons from Hamburg: Nature Belongs in the Centre
At the heart of Adu-Gyamfi’s argument is a powerful takeaway from Hamburg: successful cities of the future are embedding green spaces into their urban cores, not pushing them to the periphery. Cities like Amsterdam and Melbourne are actively investing in urban biodiversity corridors, community gardens, and downtown green zones.
“These interventions,” he writes, “are not just aesthetic. They cool cities, clean the air, improve mental health, and offer vital civic space.”
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Kumasi Zoo: A Legacy Worth Protecting
Established in 1957, the Kumasi Zoo remains one of the few large green spaces within the city centre. Situated near the Kejetia Market and the Manhyia Palace, it plays a unique role in the city’s ecological identity and urban life.
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Adu-Gyamfi argues that relocating the zoo would rob Kumasi of a critical environmental asset and potentially open the land to commercial sprawl.
“This isn’t just a park, it’s one of Kumasi’s last green lungs.”
Accessibility and Equity at Stake
Citing lessons from Hamburg, the sustainability advocate highlights the importance of green space access for all socio-economic groups.
“The central location of the Kumasi Zoo ensures schoolchildren, traders, and families can easily access nature,” he said. Moving it risks making biodiversity a luxury for the few, not a shared resource for all.”
A Green Innovation Hub in Waiting
Rather than relocating the zoo, Adu-Gyamfi envisions a transformation: upgrading the site into an urban sustainability precinct. He proposes investments in education programs, biodiversity research, eco-tourism facilities, and green design infrastructure, positioning the zoo as a model for Ghana’s commitment to the SDGs, especially SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities) and SDG 15 (Life on Land).
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“Development Without Displacement”
Rejecting the idea that development and greenery are mutually exclusive, Adu-Gyamfi urged city planners to follow the example of global cities that are making nature central to urban growth.
“Hamburg is showing us that green and growth can coexist. Kumasi can build forward without building outward,” he said.
Keep the Green Heart Beating
As cities worldwide invest millions to restore nature in their urban cores, Adu-Gyamfi calls on Kumasi to protect what it already has. The Kumasi Zoo, he argues, is not just a relic of the past, it is a bridge to a more inclusive and sustainable urban future.
“Relocating it would erase a critical piece of the city’s heritage and rob it of an irreplaceable asset,” he concluded.
Contact:
Yaw Adu-Gyamfi
Chairperson, Ghana Hubs Network
📧 chairperson@ghanahubsnetwork.com
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