A coalition of civil society groups has warned that the Atewa Range Forest Reserve is under an "unprecedented and escalating attack" from illegal mining, and is calling for urgent government intervention to prevent its loss. The coalition comprises: A Rocha Ghana, Eco Conscious Citizens, and Concerned Citizens of Atewa Landscape.

In a press statement issued on September 14, 2026, the coalition said it had reviewed court records, operational reports, Forestry Commission correspondence and on-the-ground documentation, concluding that institutions mandated to protect the reserve are "increasingly overwhelmed."

"We can lose the forest if we delay in taking very decisive actions as a matter of urgency," the statement said, describing the threat as one that extends beyond the environment to the drinking water of over five million Ghanaians, Ghana's climate commitments, biodiversity of global importance, and the cultural heritage of the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area.

A Century-Old Reserve of "Irreplaceable Value"

The Atewa Forest was gazetted on January 5, 1926, by the Okyeman State Council under Nana Sir Ofori Atta I. It covers approximately 26,300 hectares and represents 33.5% of the remaining closed forest in Ghana's Eastern Region, spanning more than 52 communities.

According to the coalition, the forest forms the headwaters of the Ayensu, Densu and Birim rivers, along with more than 99 streams, and is home to 239 bird species, 69 mammals, 40 amphibians and 14 reptiles, protecting at least 78 species threatened with global extinction. It hosts 969 identified vascular plant species and an estimated 711 butterfly species — about 77% of all butterfly species found in Ghana, making it the most diverse butterfly location in West Africa. It is also among just 2% of the world's protected areas assessed to be resilient to higher levels of climate change impact.

The statement said the forest holds an estimated 3.6 million tonnes of carbon, and that protecting it could cut emissions by roughly 200,000 tonnes annually, while removing it for mining would carry a carbon replacement cost of about US$23.2 million.

Citing a 2016 internationally led study, the coalition said protecting Atewa through a National Park and restoring its surroundings would generate US$1.157 billion in economic value over 30 years — more than mining scenarios — with non-timber forest products alone valued at US$12.4 million annually for 40 forest-fringe communities.

Okyenhene Reaffirms Opposition to Mining

The coalition noted that the Okyenhene has consistently opposed bauxite mining in the forest, including in Accra High Court proceedings dating back to 2024. At the forest's centenary celebration on January 5, 2026, he reaffirmed his position.

"Leadership is critical in protecting the forest. We have resisted the mining of bauxite. They should inform us how the flora and fauna would not be destroyed if that mining takes place. What is more worrying is the takeover of portions of the forest by foreigners. We do not have soldiers and guns to fight them, but we will not relent," he said.

Evidence of an "Organised, Armed" Mining Economy

The statement detailed what it described as an escalating illegal mining crisis inside the reserve, citing excavated pits, stripped forest cover, polluted streams and abandoned equipment at sites including the Wankobi Stream headwaters.

Court records from the Kyebi Forest District, according to the coalition, show a pattern of arrests followed by repeated adjournments and bail. It cited a 2021 case involving six suspects adjourned to August 14, 2026, a 2023 case involving ten suspects adjourned to July 25, 2026, and a May 2026 case involving 24 suspects in which all were granted bail, with the case adjourned to August 2, 2026. The coalition acknowledged exceptions, including a conviction carrying a 20-year sentence and another case in which three suspects pleaded guilty and received 15 years with hard labour, but said these remain rare.

The coalition also cited a letter dated March 2, 2026, from Kyebi Forest District Manager Owusu Ameyaw to the Abuakwa South Municipal Chief Executive, reporting an influx of illegal miners into the Sagyimase/Asikam portion of the reserve, where 60 people had been arrested without stopping the mining. It further cited a February 20, 2026 operation involving 55 police officers that was allegedly compromised by an information leak, resulting in only five arrests, and reports that illegal miners have become "very aggressive and combative," including an incident in which two forest guards were held hostage before being rescued by police reinforcement.

The statement also referenced NAIMOS operations in July and August 2026 resulting in arrests and the seizure of an excavator, drilling machines, dynamite, a pump-action shotgun, ammunition, machetes and suspected narcotics, which it described as evidence of "an organised, armed, and entrenched illegal mining economy inside a protected area."

Systemic Gaps in Protection

The coalition identified what it called systemic weaknesses undermining the reserve's protection: inadequate Forestry Commission personnel, logistics and enforcement capacity; judicial delays and repeated bail grants that undermine deterrence; weak inter-agency coordination; and an unfulfilled 2016 government manifesto commitment to convert Atewa into a National Eco-Tourism Park.

A Proposed "Green" Alternative

The coalition proposed the Atewa Centenary Celebration and Green Atewa Forest Festival, aligned with World Water Day and the International Day of Forests, alongside a "Transformational Development Agenda for Atewa National Park." It said this agenda could create at least 3,000 tourism-related jobs, generate over US$5 million annually from tourism, support a 50,000-tonne cocoa processing factory creating more than 1,000 jobs, and unlock climate finance through REDD+, the Green Climate Fund, voluntary carbon markets and Payments for Ecosystem Services — noting Atewa is already a prioritised Hotspot Intervention Area under Ghana's REDD+ programme.

Seven Demands

The coalition issued seven demands to the President, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, the Forestry Commission, the Ghana Police Service, NAIMOS and the Attorney-General:

1. Immediately designate Atewa as a National Park and rescind all bauxite mining plans.

2. Deploy a permanent, well-resourced joint security task force to secure the entire reserve.

3. Strengthen the Forestry Commission with adequate officers, equipment and intelligence capacity.

4. Fast-track prosecutions through a dedicated court for illegal mining cases in the Eastern Region, with published case statuses and deterrent bail conditions.

5. Investigate and sanction officials found complicit in information leaks or selective enforcement.

6. Fund and implement the Transformational Development Agenda for Atewa National Park.

7. Engage communities and traditional authorities, including full support for the Okyenhene's leadership.

"We either deal with this menace or we perish. Without clean water, clean air, and standing forests, we are done as a people. Atewa is the test of our collective resolve," the coalition said.

The statement was signed by Daryl Bosu of A Rocha Ghana, Awula Serwaa of Eco Conscious Citizens, and Paul Asumadu of Concerned Citizens of Atewa Landscape.