The Concerned Citizens of Atewa Landscape (CCAL) has congratulated Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings on her confirmation as Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, while urging her to make the long-term protection of the Atewa Forest a priority.
In a congratulatory statement, CCAL said Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings assumed office at a critical time when Ghana’s environmental sector was grappling with illegal mining, forest degradation, water pollution and the loss of natural resources.
The group recalled the Minister’s earlier call for the Atewa Forest Reserve to be upgraded to National Park status, which she made during the launch of the Atewa Forest Centenary Celebration and Green Atewa Festival at the Okyenhene Palace in Kyebi on January 5, 2026.
CCAL said it had subsequently petitioned Parliament’s Select Committee on Petitions on May 22, 2026, seeking urgent measures to secure the forest’s future.
The organisation is therefore calling on Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings to work with Parliament, government agencies, traditional authorities and conservation groups to advance the petition, strengthen enforcement against illegal mining and promote community participation in forest protection.
CCAL warned that continued degradation of the Atewa Forest poses serious threats to water security, biodiversity, food security, livelihoods and climate resilience, with consequences extending to surrounding communities and future generations.
Meanwhile, Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings, in a message following her swearing-in, acknowledged the challenges facing Ghana’s environmental sector, including climate change, illegal mining, pollution, waste management and environmental degradation.
She pledged to approach her new role with “integrity, humility and purpose”, stressing the need for courage, innovation, collaboration and decisive action to protect Ghana’s natural resources.
She further said she viewed the environment not merely as a resource to be exploited but as an inheritance entrusted to the present generation to protect for posterity.
CCAL has expressed its readiness to collaborate with the Ministry and other stakeholders to ensure the sustainable protection and management of the Atewa Forest.
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