NGO urges Ghana government not to grant bauxite mining permit in Atiwa forest reserve

A human rights, environmental and mining advocacy NGO named Wacam, has urged Ghana government not to grant license to any company to mine bauxite in the Atiwa Forest Reserve, on environmental grounds.

Mr. Boakye-Dankwa Boadi, Director of Communication and Advocacy of Wacam warned that mining right inside Atiwa Forest Reserve would have disastrous consequences.

According to studies, the reserve, which constitutes a major part of the last existing forest in South-Eastern Ghana, keeps Accra-Tema area smog-free. The two major rivers,  Densu and Brim also take their sources from this forest reserve.

Mr. Boadi, a former acting General Manager and Supervising Chief Editor of the Ghana News Agency (GNA), said that the country must do everything possible to protect the forest reverve for the best interest of the nation. He said this during an interaction with a group of young journalists from various media houses in Kumasi.

The Atiwa Forest Reserve has huge bauxite deposit and a number of international companies are showing keen interest to acquire mining license for bauxite, using the open cast technology. Mr. Boadi was against destroying a prized ecosystem with high species of diversity and hydrological value through commercial bauxite exploitation.

“Ghanaians should accept to work together to protect the natural resources,” he said.