The Concerned Citizens of Atewa Landscape (CCAL) has congratulated Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings on her appointment as Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, while urging her to make the protection of the Atewa Forest a priority.
In a congratulatory statement, CCAL said the new minister assumed office at a time when Ghana’s environmental sector was facing significant challenges, including illegal mining, forest degradation, water pollution and the loss of the country’s natural heritage.
The group reminded Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings of her earlier call for the long-term protection of the Atewa Forest through its elevation to National Park status.
According to CCAL, Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings made the call on January 5, 2026, during the launch of the Atewa Forest Centenary Celebration and Green Atewa Festival at the Okyenhene Palace in Kyebi.
The event, organised by CCAL in collaboration with A Rocha Ghana, brought together the Okyenhene, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin, traditional leaders, conservation organisations, community representatives and other stakeholders.
CCAL said Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings, at the event, expressed concern about the destruction of natural resources through illegal mining and warned that such activities posed threats to food security, water security and the future of generations yet unborn.
The organisation is therefore calling on the newly appointed minister to translate her earlier commitment into concrete action to secure the future of the forest.
CCAL noted that on May 22, 2026, marking World Biological Diversity Day, it submitted a petition to Parliament’s Select Committee on Petitions, seeking urgent intervention to secure the long-term protection of the Atewa Forest Reserve, including its upgrading to National Park status.
The group is appealing to Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings to work with Parliament, government agencies, traditional authorities and conservation organisations to expedite consideration of the issues raised in the petition.
CCAL stressed that the continued destruction of portions of the forest through illegal mining was not only an environmental concern but also a threat to water security, biodiversity, climate resilience, livelihoods and food security.
It warned that the consequences of the degradation of the Atewa Forest could extend beyond the boundaries of the forest to affect communities that depend on its water resources, farmers and wildlife, as well as future generations.
The organisation is therefore urging the minister to support the upgrading of the Atewa Forest Reserve to National Park status, engage Parliament on its petition, strengthen enforcement against illegal mining and promote the meaningful participation of traditional authorities and local communities in the protection and management of the forest.
CCAL also wants the protection of Atewa to be incorporated into Ghana’s broader strategies for biodiversity conservation, water security and climate resilience.
The group said it was ready to collaborate with the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology and other relevant stakeholders to protect the forest.
“We are not asking for a favour for Atewa. We are asking for Ghana’s ecological inheritance to be protected,” CCAL said.
The organisation expressed hope that Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings’ previous commitments would translate into policy and decisive action, describing the protection of Atewa Forest as an important opportunity to create a lasting environmental legacy for Ghana.
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