A group of activists has demanded that the Government of Ghana urgently declare the Atewa Forest a National Park amid rampant illegal mining within the reserve.
The group proposes this as an urgent solution to the country’s faltering fight against illegal mining, as well as a significant economic opportunity, while protecting critical river sources and biodiversity in the forest.
The group consists of activists from A Rocha Ghana, Eco-Conscious Citizens and Concerned Citizens of Atewa Landscape (CCAL). They made the call at a press conference in Accra on September 14, 2026, as Atewa marks 100 years as a gazetted forest reserve.
According to the group, an internationally led 2016 study found that transforming Atewa into a National Park and restoring its surrounding landscape would produce the greatest economic value compared with scenarios that include mining.
The cited European Union-sponsored study estimates that blended green development activities could generate about US$1.3 billion annually, with tourism estimated to generate over US$5 million yearly, non-timber forest products estimated at US$12.4 million per annum, and a US$1.157 billion value over 30 years for local communities, downstream residents and the national treasury.
“Atewa is a national security asset. Its water sustains millions, in addition to its immense economic value. Mining, legal or illegal, in Atewa is incompatible with all of these values,” said Daryl Bosu, A Rocha Ghana’s Deputy Director, who addressed the media.
The group said the green model could generate significant revenue from tourism, create at least 3,000 jobs in tourism facilities and services, and support cocoa processing, agroforestry, climate finance and green value chains.
They argue that the economic potential makes protecting Atewa by declaring it a National Park a more sustainable alternative to mining, particularly as illegal mining continues to degrade portions of the forest.
Recent reports published on National Anti-Illegal Mining Secretariat (NAIMOS) platforms indicate that task force officers and Forestry Commission rangers have raided illegal mining camps within and around the Atewa Forest Reserve. However, the activists said river sources and forest cover within Atewa are still being degraded by illegal miners who keep returning to dig multiple pits and establish camps and other makeshift settlements in a desperate search for gold.
The coalition further cites several arrests, notably a February 2026 operation involving 55 police officers, which resulted in five arrests after an apparent leak of information, while two forest guards were reportedly held hostage by illegal miners. They added that the Forestry Commission lacks personnel, logistics and enforcement capacity, while judicial delays, repeated bail grants and weak inter-agency coordination have undermined efforts to stop illegal mining within Atewa.
The coalition demands that President John Dramani Mahama and relevant institutions immediately make Atewa a National Park, rescind plans for bauxite mining in the forest and provide it with the highest legal protection.
They also demand a permanent joint security task force, stronger Forestry Commission capacity, faster prosecution of illegal mining cases, and investigations into alleged information leakages and complicity.
By Theresa Weyerane Adiali
