A Quick Note To President Akufo-Addo - Urging Him To Declare The Atewa Forest A National Park: And Ban All Mining In It

Dear President Akufo-Addo,

With the greatest respect, please ignore all the advisors who are urging you to go ahead with plans to mine bauxite, in the Atewa Forest Reserve. Sir, in effect, what they are asking you to allow to happen, is an abomination that will destroy priceless natural capital, which is also a unique upland evergreen rainforest, designated a Globally Significant Biodiversity Area (GSBA), as well as a vital watershed providing vital life-sustaining ecosystem services, for millions.

The question is: Why threaten a rare and unique upland evergreen rainforest, which is a watershed area for three major river systems (the Densu, the Birim and the Ayensu rivers), and strategically important eco-systems-provider, national-security-wise, from which the treated water, supplied daily, to over 5 million people, across southern Ghana, is sourced for treatment, by the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL)? Sir, to destroy it by allowing mining in it, will make future generations curse you.

Sir, in reality, as things currently stand, you are simply being urged on to what is a dangerous loser's-path, which, will, as sure as day follows night, lead you to be judged rather harshly, by Posterity. For those of us who support you 100 percent, without any reservations, that will be a most unfortunate and unnecessary development - for, it will definitely deny you a well-deserved place in the Pantheon of the 21 century's greatest leaders, based on your record today.

Sir, why risk sullying your very, very impressive legacy, thus far, when, as a viable alternative (to the planned apocalyptic-destruction of the Atewa Forest Reserve, by allowing its bauxite deposits, to be mined!), your administration could actually create an integrated West African aluminium industry, which would enhance the stability of our sub-region, by including Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, as sources of bauxite supplies?

Mr President, with the greatest respect, as the current chairperson of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), would it not be to your eternal credit, to be seen to be helping to create wealth that stays locally, and generate jobs galore, for young people in Ghana, Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, during your tenure as ECOWAS chairperson? Sir, ignore all your advisors - and go ahead to declare the Atewa Forest Reserve as a national park and ban all mining in it. Case closed.