The Concerned Citizens of the Atewa Landscape (CCAL) have intensified calls for immediate government intervention to save the Atewa Forest from escalating environmental threats, urging authorities to declare the entire Atewa Landscape a state of environmental emergency and expedite the long-awaited conversion of the Atewa Range Forest Reserve into a national park.
Marking this year’s World Environment Day, 2026, celebrated globally under the theme “Inspired by Nature, For the Climate,” the environmental advocacy group warned that the continued degradation of the Atewa ecosystem poses serious risks to Ghana’s water security, biodiversity, climate resilience, and sustainable development agenda.
In a statement signed by CCAL Coordinator Asumaku Paul, the group described the Atewa Forest as one of Ghana’s most critical ecological treasures and a natural asset whose protection should be treated as a matter of national urgency.
Often referred to as Ghana’s “right lung,” the Atewa Forest performs a vital environmental function by helping regulate the country’s climate and producing significant amounts of oxygen.
Beyond its ecological value, the forest serves as the source of three major rivers, the Birim, Densu, and Ayensu, which supply water to millions of Ghanaians, support agriculture, sustain industries, and provide livelihoods for countless communities.
According to CCAL, the importance of Atewa extends far beyond the Eastern Region, making its preservation both a national obligation and a global environmental responsibility.
The group acknowledged recent collaborative efforts involving international development partners, including the European Union, the World Bank, the Forestry Commission, traditional authorities, and local communities under the Ghana Cocoa Forest REDD+ Programme.
These initiatives seek to combat deforestation, promote climate-smart agricultural practices, and strengthen conservation measures within forest-dependent communities.
However, CCAL stressed that such interventions, though commendable, will achieve limited success without bold policy decisions and stronger political commitment aimed at guaranteeing the long-term protection of the Atewa landscape.
The organization revealed that on the occasion of the International Day for Biological Diversity 2026, it formally petitioned Parliament’s Select Committee on Petitions, calling for the declaration of an environmental emergency and the accelerated establishment of the Atewa National Park.
CCAL urged Parliament to prioritize consideration of the petition, arguing that the environmental, social, economic, and public health benefits associated with conserving Atewa significantly outweigh any short-term gains from activities that threaten the forest’s integrity.
The advocacy group further called for comprehensive reforms in Ghana’s mining sector, emphasizing that while mineral extraction remains an important contributor to national economic growth, mining activities must be conducted responsibly and in ways that do not compromise forests, water bodies, biodiversity, and the welfare of host communities.
The statement also appealed to the government to intensify investments in land restoration initiatives, including large-scale afforestation and reforestation programmes, while creating sustainable livelihood opportunities that encourage environmental stewardship among local populations.
CCAL warned that climate change, deforestation, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation are increasingly interconnected challenges that require immediate and coordinated action.
“The future of Atewa is inseparable from the future of Ghana,” the group stated, emphasising that meaningful climate action must begin with the protection of forests, restoration of degraded ecosystems, conservation of biodiversity and safeguarding of the country’s critical water resources.
As environmental concerns continue to mount across the country, CCAL’s renewed appeal adds to growing pressure on policymakers to take decisive action to preserve one of Ghana’s most ecologically significant landscapes.
The group ended its World Environment Day message with a powerful call to action: “Protect Atewa Today, Secure Ghana’s Future Tomorrow.”
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