Inhabitants of Atewa have said that the survival of the Weija Dam, which supplies water to the people of Accra depends on the continuous preservation of the Atewa Forest in the Eastern region.
According to the residents, the Atewa Forest serves as a source to over 100 rivers including the Birim, Ayensu and the Densu and any attempt to destroy the forest simply means denying millions of Ghanaians their source of water.
Information gathered indicates that the Densu River takes its source from the Atewa Range near Kibi and flows 116 km into the Weija Reservoir before entering the Gulf of Guinea through the Densu Delta Ramsar Site.
Speaking to the Republic Press, residents of Atewa community said the people of Accra must take keen interest in happenings at the Atewa Forest because illegal miners have polluted the water.
“So, if you are in Accra and you think that activities at the Atewa Forest doesn’t affect you then you are deceiving yourself, even right now is affecting us because some people are currently mining inside the river and the debris and all the mercury are coming to Weija,” he stated.
A concerned citizen, Mr Oteng Adjei blamed the destruction of the forest to the negligence of the Forestry Commission, traditional leaders in the area and politicians who are sitting unconcerned while illegal mining is thriving in the forest.
“For the past six months and more, illegal mining activities and logging in the forest are getting out of hand and there is no deliberate effort by the Forestry Commission, traditional leaders or politicians in the area to stop them,” Mr. Adjei stated.
He said as Ghana celebrate this year’s International Water Day under the theme ‘Groundwater, Making the Invisible Visible,’ the country is watching aloof as Atewa Forest hills which provide invisible source of water impacting over five million people are being destroyed.
“It suddens my heart that the country spends millions of public and donor money to plant over 20 million trees across Ghana under the Green Ghana Agenda, but fails to put in place long-term measures to save the existing ones like those at the Atewa Forest and others,” he lamented.
The group is therefore entreating all environmental NGOs and associations both local and international as well as the general public to join hands and call for a halt of these illegal activities in the Atewa Forest.
