Awula Serwah
Environmental advocate and Executive Director of Eco-Conscious Citizens, Awula Serwah, has renewed calls for the Atewa Forest Reserve to be declared a National Park, warning of the continued threat posed to the forest by irresponsible mining.
She made the call while delivering a vote of thanks on behalf of nominees at the inaugural Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences (GAAS) Women’s Awards in Accra on Wednesday( September 30).
Awula Serwah was among the nominees honoured with a certificate and award in the Environmental Stewardship category for her sustained advocacy for the protection of Ghana’s forests, water, soil and natural ecosystems.
However, in her remarks, she used the occasion to draw attention to the Atewa Forest and the campaign by Eco-Conscious Citizens to secure greater protection for the reserve through its designation as a National Park.
She referred to concerns raised at a recent joint press conference by A Rocha Ghana, the Concerned Citizens of Atewa Landscape (CCAL) and Eco-Conscious Citizens, where a document on what the groups described as the imminent extinction of the Atewa Forest was presented.
“We currently face an existential threat from irresponsible mining, and I urge us all to join the campaign to protect our environment,” she said.
According to Awula Serwah, Atewa Forest was designated a Forest Reserve about 100 years ago and is a Globally Significant Biodiversity Area.
She said the forest is also a source of water for more than five million Ghanaians and provides habitat for endangered fauna and flora.
“Sadly, it is now being decimated. A Rocha Ghana warns us that, at this rate, there will be no Atewa by the end of the year,” she said.
She subsequently called for the Atewa Forest Reserve to be declared a National Park to provide it with greater protection.
“So let’s join the campaign to have Atewa Forest Reserve declared a National Park to afford it greater protection,” she said.
Awula Serwah also cited the example of the late Kenyan environmentalist Wangari Maathai, the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize, who promoted tree planting through the Green Belt Movement.
She said Maathai’s example demonstrated how individual actions could contribute to wider environmental change.
“It’s the little things citizens do. That’s what will make the difference,” she said, quoting Maathai.
The GAAS Women’s Awards ceremony was held at the Kwame Nkrumah Auditorium.
# Make a Atewa a National Park
# Make a Atewa a National Park
# Make a Atewa a National Park
