PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Date: November 6, 2025
Issued by: Citizens Concerned of Atewa Landscape (CCAL)
Location: Kibi, Eastern Region
Citizens Concerned of Atewa Landscape (CCAL) has expressed deep concern following reports that the Bank of Ghana’s gold reserves have risen to 38.04 tonnes as of October 2025 , a milestone that positions Ghana among the top gold reserve holders in Sub-Saharan Africa.
While the increase is being hailed as an economic victory, CCAL believes the country must pause and reflect on the true environmental and human cost behind this surge.
“Behind this shining glory lies a huge pool of shame,” CCAL stated. “Why should we rejoice in gold accumulation when communities lack clean drinking water, farmlands are poisoned, and citizens face serious health challenges?”
The organization questioned the sources of the newly acquired gold, the entities involved, and whether the nation’s natural heritage is being sacrificed for short-term economic gains.
CCAL further called on the government to:
- Publish all declared mining and security zones and make known the legal and safety consequences of unauthorized entry.
- Take urgent and decisive action to stop the destruction of the Atewa Forest, which remains under daily threat from mining.
- Restore and protect polluted water bodies such as the Birim, Densu, and Ayensu Rivers, which are now so contaminated that several Ghana Water Company treatment plants have been forced to shut down.
“Kibi, the heart and home of Ghana’s major headwaters, has been without clean water for over four months,” the statement continued. “This is a national tragedy ,not just for Atewa, but for every Ghanaian who depends on these rivers.”
CCAL warned that unchecked mining, especially in protected landscapes, undermines Ghana’s commitments to sustainability, public health, and future generations.“Atewa is the lungs and lifeblood of our nation. We cannot celebrate gold while our rivers die,” CCAL emphasized.
The organization is urging the government, civil society, and citizens alike to stand together for environmental justice, accountability, and the preservation of Ghana’s natural treasures.
Signed by
Nana Ampem Darko
PRO (CCAL)
Source:Mybrytfmonline.com
