Ghana’s main opposition party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has expressed concern over the growing threat posed by illegal mining, warning that the country risks losing vital forest reserves, particularly the Atewa Forest, if the menace is not urgently addressed.
Speaking during a meeting with the Christian Council of Ghana in Accra on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, Minority Leader in Parliament Alexander Afenyo-Markin said the Atewa Forest could be lost to illegal mining if action is not taken.
“If we are not careful, the Atewa Forest will not be there for us anymore,” he said.
Mr Afenyo-Markin also questioned the effectiveness of the current structure governing GoldBod, arguing that it could be encouraging illegal mining because there is no clear regulatory distinction between legally mined gold and gold produced through galamsey.
“Whatever you, the aggregators, bring, GoldBod buys. But are there adequate regulations to guide these aggregators?” he asked.
He said illegal mining had reached alarming levels and warned of its impact on Ghana’s water resources.
“Galamsey has gotten out of hand, and if care is not taken, we will lose our water and land,” he said.
The Minority Leader, who previously chaired the Ghana Water Company Limited board, said reports from the company showed that the cost of treating water was increasing, while the level of contamination had reached a point where some treatment plants could no longer function effectively.
His comments come amid growing concerns over illegal mining in the Atewa Range Forest Reserve.
Environmental groups, including A Rocha Ghana, Eco-Conscious Citizens and the Concerned Citizens of Atewa Landscape, have warned that the forest is facing serious threats from illegal mining and called for urgent measures to protect it.
The Okyehene, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin, has also raised concerns over illegal mining in the reserve and previously expressed frustration over unsuccessful attempts to meet the Lands and Natural Resources Minister to discuss the situation.
The Atewa Forest is a critical ecological landscape and serves as the source of the Birim, Ayensu and Densu rivers.
Policy analyst and Founder of IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe, has also called for additional resources to strengthen protection of the Atewa Range Forest Reserve.
Meanwhile, the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) has said reports of illegal mining and encroachment within the reserve are receiving urgent attention.
NAIMOS said it had conducted initial assessment operations in the reserve and was collaborating with relevant security and state agencies on further action.
