The Oheneba Poku Foundation (OPF) has expressed deep concern over the increasing impact of illegal and unsustainable mining activities, commonly known as galamsey, around Lake Bosomtwe in the Ashanti Region.
The Foundation noted that activities within the biosphere reserve have led to vegetation destruction, soil erosion, ecosystem disruption, and long-term environmental risks that could undermine years of restoration efforts.
OPF is also alarmed by the growing encroachment on designated buffer zones surrounding the lake for farming and residential development.
According to the Foundation, these buffer zones are critical for protecting water quality, stabilising the ecosystem, and safeguarding the ecological integrity of the lake.
“The combined effects of illegal mining, buffer zone encroachment, land degradation, biodiversity loss, and weak enforcement of environmental regulations pose a significant risk to the long-term sustainability of Lake Bosomtwe,” a statement from the Foundation said.
The concern comes as the world marks World Environment Day on June 5, 2026, under the theme “Inspired by Nature. For Climate. For Our Future.”
As the global community commemorates the day, OPF has called for coordinated action to protect Lake Bosomtwe, Ghana’s only natural lake and an important ecological, cultural, and environmental heritage asset.
The lake continues to play a vital role in supporting biodiversity, local livelihoods, tourism, and scientific research.
Over the years, collaborations involving the Oheneba Poku Foundation, the Asante Kingdom through the Manhyia Palace, the Water Resources Commission, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Forestry Commission, A Rocha Ghana, Community Resource Management Areas (CREMAs), the Bosomtwe and Bosome Freho District Assemblies, and other stakeholders have contributed to landscape restoration within the lake enclave.
These interventions have led to the restoration of degraded lands and the planting of more than 300,000 trees, strengthening ecosystem resilience and improving environmental awareness among surrounding communities.
However, the Foundation says these gains are now under threat due to ongoing environmental degradation, including illegal mining and encroachment.
OPF is therefore calling on relevant stakeholders, including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Water Resources Commission, the Forestry Commission, traditional authorities, and local assemblies to strengthen collaboration and intensify efforts to protect the lake’s ecosystem.
“We are advocating for enhanced environmental monitoring and enforcement, protection of buffer zones, strengthened community stewardship programmes, and sustained investment in landscape restoration and biodiversity conservation,” the statement added.
As part of activities marking World Environment Day, the Foundation will undertake a public awareness campaign, publish feature articles, and release a documentary titled “Lake Bosomtwe – Restoration, Progress and Challenges.”
The documentary will highlight restoration achievements, scientific perspectives, community experiences, and the environmental threats currently confronting the lake.
The Foundation stressed that protecting Lake Bosomtwe is a shared responsibility requiring urgent collective action, adding that safeguarding the natural heritage asset is both an environmental necessity and an investment in Ghana’s future.
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