Atewa Forest under siege: Environmentalist warns iconic reserve could be lost before government’s term ends

The Atewa Forest Reserve, one of Ghana’s most critical ecological treasures, is under an “unprecedented” assault from illegal mining that could destroy it entirely before the current government’s tenure concludes, a leading environmental advocate has warned.

Daryl Bosu, Deputy National Director of A Rocha Ghana, issued the stark warning during a discussion on galamsey on TV3’s KeyPoints on Saturday, September 12, describing a forest in crisis.

“Atewa Forest is not thriving. If we don’t take care, we are going to lose it even before the end of this government’s term,” Bosu said. “What we are seeing now with Atewa Forest is that we are having an unprecedented attack on this forest since 2025. What is happening in the forest is not good, on all fronts, along all boundaries.”

According to Bosu, illegal miners are encroaching on the reserve from multiple directions, with some reportedly entering in groups from neighbouring Burkina Faso, further intensifying the pressure on an already strained protection regime.

The Forestry Commission and the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), he said, are struggling to contain the scale of the incursion. “The Forestry Commission is struggling, even NAIMOS cannot contain the pressure,” he stated.

A National Treasure Under Threat

The Atewa Range Forest Reserve, located in Ghana’s Eastern Region approximately 90 kilometres from Accra, is far more than a simple patch of forest. Covering roughly 23,663 hectares, it is classified as a Globally Significant Biodiversity Area, an Important Bird Area, and a Key Biodiversity Area—internationally recognised as one of the highest priority ecosystems in West Africa .

The forest is a haven for extraordinary biodiversity, home to approximately 656 species of plants, 63 species of mammals, 32 amphibians, 227 birds, and an astonishing 700 species of butterflies . In 2017, scientists discovered the critically endangered White-naped Mangabey within its boundaries, underscoring its global conservation significance .

Perhaps most critically for Ghana’s population, Atewa serves as the headwaters for three major rivers—the Birim, Densu, and Ayensu—which provide drinking water to millions of Ghanaians, including residents of Accra . The Densu River alone supplies water to at least 5 million people, including approximately 1 million residents of the capital .

A History of Encroachment

The current crisis is not an isolated incident. The Atewa Forest has faced mounting threats for years, including illegal logging, hunting, farm encroachment, and the looming spectre of government-sanctioned bauxite mining . In 2017, the Ghanaian government signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Chinese state-owned Sinohydro Corp Limited to develop a bauxite industry, with Atewa identified as a potential source of raw materials—a plan that sparked sustained opposition from environmental groups and local communities .

In April 2026, reports emerged that illegal miners had established semi-permanent camps deep within the forest, allowing them to operate continuously beyond the reach of routine patrols . These operations have been linked to deforestation, land degradation, and the pollution of vital water sources.

Enforcement Struggles

The Forestry Commission has attempted to push back. On September 4, 2026, its Rapid Response Unit arrested twelve individuals during a dawn operation around the Sagyimase community in Compartments 61 and 62 of the reserve . Seventeen personnel were deployed at 1:30 AM for the covert operation, which yielded five motorbikes, eleven shovels, water hoses, and other mining equipment . The suspects were handed over to the Kyebi District Police Command for prosecution.

However, such operations appear to be mere ripples in an rising tide. Just days before Bosu’s warning, a violent confrontation at Kyebi in July 2026 resulted in the shooting of a young man during a clash between state security personnel and illegal miners . A Rocha Ghana and the Concerned Citizens of Atewa Landscape condemned the incident but attributed it to “long-term state inaction against mining impunity” and a “dangerous sense of entitlement” among miners fostered by selective enforcement .

Bosu has also accused security agencies of losing interest in the fight, stating on the same KeyPoints programme: “The police is not willing and coordinated to prosecute these cases” . He called for accountability not just for miners, but for chiefs, political figures, and security commanders who aid or overlook the illegality .

Government Claims vs. On-the-Ground Reality

The government has touted its anti-galamsey efforts, with President John Dramani Mahama announcing measures including the deployment of 1,634 Blue Water Guards, the seizure of over 400 excavators, and the reclamation of nine forest reserves . The establishment of NAIMOS was intended to coordinate the national response.

Yet environmental groups and commentators remain unconvinced. On the same KeyPoints programme, IMANI Africa Vice President Kofi Bentil offered a blunt assessment: “There is no fight against galamsey today. Galamsey is worse today” .

For Bosu, the gap between rhetoric and reality is a matter of existential urgency. “If government does not really prioritise action to protect the forest as they said, this forest, I am afraid we are going to lose it,” he warned.

The Atewa Forest has survived for nearly a century as a protected reserve since its designation in 1926. Whether it survives the current government’s term may depend on whether words translate into sustained, uncompromising action—before it is too late.