As Ghana approaches World Day of Forests (March 21) and World Water Day (March 22), environmental advocacy group Eco-Conscious Citizens has urged President John Dramani Mahama to take immediate action to protect the country’s forests, rivers, and public lands, emphasising the critical link between natural resource protection and sustainable agribusiness.
In an open letter, the group warned that illegal mining and deforestation are destroying farmlands, contaminating rivers, and threatening livelihoods, particularly in cocoa-growing communities. Highlighting recent incidents in Sefwi Atronsu, where illegal miners cleared cocoa farms and diverted streams, the group noted that such activities undermine agricultural production and the food security of millions of Ghanaians.
Eco-Conscious Citizens called on the government to revoke Executive Instrument 144 (EI144), which declassified parts of the Achimota Forest Reserve, and to declare the Atewa Forest Reserve a National Park. These reserves are not only vital for biodiversity but also serve as sources of major rivers supplying water to more than five million people.
The group further urged the government to end the practice of gifting public lands to MPs, strengthen enforcement agencies such as the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) and the Forestry Commission, and provide personnel with the logistics and protective equipment needed to combat illegal mining and logging operations effectively.
Eco-Conscious Citizens also emphasised the need to protect water bodies from contamination, calling for the removal of illegal mining machines such as changfans and for coordinated patrols by the Navy and NAIMOS. They called for accountability for public officials allegedly facilitating illegal mining and demanded timely public updates on ongoing investigations.
The group urged the government to discontinue the prosecution of environmental activists, including the Atronsu 5, and to establish fast-track courts for illegal mining cases, along with adopting the Polluter Pays Policy to use funds recovered from convicted miners for environmental restoration.
The letter praised communities such as Jema in Western North Region, which have successfully resisted illegal mining, urging the government to replicate their strategies nationwide to protect forests, water bodies, and farmlands, ensuring Ghana’s agribusiness sector and livelihoods are preserved.
“Protecting forests, water, and farmland is not just about conservation, it’s about sustaining Ghana’s agriculture and securing livelihoods for millions of citizens,” said Awula Serwah, Executive Director of Eco-Conscious Citizens.
