Don’t Mine Atewa Forest Reserve in $15 Billion Ghana-China Deal

The Atewa Forest Reserve, one of the two remaining upland evergreen forests in Ghana, is the source of three major rivers (Densu, Ayensu and Birm) in Ghana. These rivers provide water to over 5 million Ghanaians for their domestic, agricultural and industrial use.

On the 25th of June, 2017, the Vice President of Ghana, H. E Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia returned from a trip to China and announced a partnership deal with the Government of China. The deal, currently the largest partnership agreement between an African Country and China, is a 15 Billion dollar facility. In this deal, the Government of Ghana is seeking to leverage Ghana’s natural resources.  The deal specifically targets bauxite deposits beneath the Atewa Forest Reserve in Kyebi.

Access to Water for 5 million Ghanaians is at stake if Atewa Forest Reserve is mined for Bauxite. We want government to reconsider mining this important forest reserve due to its hydrological significance and unique biodiversity resources. Water is an irreplaceable life supporting element thus, mining Atewa forest reserve is destroying our own lives.