President Nana Akufo-Addo’s declaration at the UNFCCC COP 29 in Baku that Ghana has restored 721,000 hectares of forest since 2017 has been met with sharp criticism from the Ghana Coalition Against Galamsey.
The coalition, in a fiery press release, cast doubt on the President’s claims, arguing that they contradict the ecological realities on the ground.
While acknowledging the need for forest restoration, the coalition described the President’s statement as “pretentious” and accused his administration of failing to protect Ghana’s forests from the twin scourges of illegal mining and unsustainable policies.
“The reality is, while we were supposedly planting trees, we actively pursued policies that facilitated the destruction of natural forests,” the statement read.
Citing the 2022 passage of Regulation L.I. 2462, which opened protected forests to mining, the coalition lambasted the government for undermining its international commitments, including its membership in the Forest and Climate Leaders’ Partnership.
“These actions contradict Ghana’s hard-earned reputation for sustainable forest management and highlight the government’s complicity in the unprecedented destruction of forest reserves,” the coalition emphasized.
The coalition provided sobering data to counter the President’s restoration claims. Over 48,000 hectares of gazetted forest reserves have been earmarked for mining, and 4,800 hectares have already been destroyed.
“Illegal mining activities have impacted over 35 forest reserves, compromising the ecological integrity of 350,000 hectares of forests,” they detailed.
The devastating impact of illegal mining extends beyond forests, with the Ghana Cocoa Board reporting massive losses of cocoa farmlands due to galamsey.
The coalition noted, “In just one year, an estimated 21,000 hectares of cocoa farms were destroyed, affecting 68% of cocoa farmlands in Ashanti, 81% in Eastern, and 74% in Western Regions.”
The coalition did not hold back in questioning the President’s legacy, describing his tenure as an era of “environmental neglect” and accusing him of presiding over one of the worst ecological crises in Ghana’s history.
“Under your watch, Ghana’s rivers are poisoned, forests razed, and farmlands degraded. Your inaction has exposed citizens to grave health risks and compounded our vulnerability to climate shocks,” the statement charged. Asking the President to reflect on the legacy he will leave behind, the coalition urged him to take decisive action.
“Mr President, will you be remembered as the leader who stood idly by while Ghana’s natural heritage was recklessly plundered? Or will you summon the courage to address this grave injustice?” they asked.