Don’t Politicise Fight Against Atiwa Forest Destruction – Chief Farmer
The Atiwa District Chief Farmer, Nana Asare Donkoh, has urged Ghanaians not to politicise the fight against government’s attempt to destroy the Atiwa Forest in the Eastern Region through the mining of bauxite.
He argued that the consequence of mining in the forest could affect every Ghanaian.
Nana Donkoh observed the decision by the government to mine the bauxite in the Atiwa Forest will not only displace thousands of people but cause destruction to water bodies serving as water sources for people in about five regions in the country.
President Akufo-Addo in his recent visit to China signed a $2billion agreement with the government of China with Ghana’s bauxite deposits in the Atiwa Forest as collateral.
Many people in the Atiwa area as well as civil society groups have raised kicked against the decision to mine bauxite deposits in the forest.
“We should not politicize the Atiwa Forest destruction but we should think about the future generation,” Nana Donkoh, appealed on Onua FM Wednesday.
He explained that the Forest has three river bodies – Anyensu, Birem and Densu – which supply water to Eastern, Central, Greater Accra and Western Regions hence “if all these water or river bodies are lost what would Ghana do?
“Already, all the lands for settlements have been destroyed by illegal mining activities. Several people are on the hills and several communities will be affected. The consequence will be dire one”, he explained.
Heritage
Nana Donkoh such destruction of the forest have the potential of destroying the Okyeman heritage, saying “the Okyeman heritage would be lost because all these towns and villages form Okyeman”.
He observed the many years of mining gold in Ghana has not brought the nation anything significant, particularly to the towns where the gold mines are situated and expressed fears the situation with the bauxite deal could follow in the same path.
“Why must we allow the whites to influence us to destroy our heritage? Some countries have oil but they are not mining and are mining in Africa. Why must that be?”
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