Saving Atewa Forest is not an issue of propaganda – A Rocha Ghana to GIADEC

A Rocha Ghana has said saving the Atewa Forest is a must and has nothing to do with propaganda as alleged.

This comes in a direct reply to the Ghana Integrated Aluminum Development Corporation (GIADEC) after it claimed that the idea that the whole of Atewa Forest will be destroyed by bauxite mining is propaganda.

According to A Rocha Ghana, saving the Atewa Forest is the sustainable and responsible use of the country’s natural resources and without any form of links to propaganda.

A Rocha Ghana insists that the loss of the forest and habitats would be irreversible and would also cause wider damage to the integrity and ecosystem service provision of a much greater area of forest around it.

“Bauxite mining in Atewa Forest no matter how small will be a terminal cancer that will erode forest integrity and the ecosystem services they provide overtime. Atewa is a critical forest ecosystem, it is not to be ‘played’ with,” part of a press release signed by the Deputy National Director of A Rocha Ghana, Daryl Bosu.

The organization believes that GIADEC completely misses the point and hence its continuous push for Bauxite mining in parts of the Atewa Forest.

In the foregoing, A Rocha Ghana is inviting GIADEC to collaborate and take advantage of the green investments in the Atewa Forest instead of using extractive means to benefit from the forest.

“There are currently several non-extractive uses for forests such as Atewa Forest that have significant prospects of harnessing green investments that will offer quality green jobs and ensure wellbeing for all.

“We urge GIADEC to work with us to explore these green investments for the benefits of Ghanaians today and tomorrow,” the release from A Rocha concludes.

Below is the full press release from A Rocha Ghana: