The Oda River used to be so fresh. Growing up, we could drink water directly from the river; we also got fish from it.
Anytime we were going to farm, we fetched water from this river. We also used it to irrigate our crops; but now, it has been heavily polluted by illegal miners, and we can no longer use it for anything. Now, we buy sachet water when we are going to farm.”
This was the chilling account by the Odikro (chief) of Abokyire, one of the forest fringe communities, Nana Akwasi Adei Boateng, as he narrated the extent of devastation illegal mining, known locally as galamsey, had caused to the community.
I met him on January 19, this year, when I embarked on a one-week fact-finding mission to ascertain the impact of illegal mining on forest reserves.
Located in the Amansie Central District in the Ashanti Region, the Oda River Forest Reserve is one of the 13 forest reserves located within the Bekwai Forest District of the Forest Services Division (FSD).
Established in 1931 and covering approximately 16,200 hectares, it is a significant ecological asset renowned for its rich biodiversity, vital water resources and critical ecosystem services.
The Oda River, which meanders through the forest landscape, serves as a crucial tributary to the Offin River system – proving to be essential for local hydrology, supporting both aquatic life and providing water for domestic use.
Forest fringe communities such as Abrokyere, Aboaboso, Bepotintin and Manukro depend on the forest reserve for their livelihood.
However, the once pristine ecological haven continues to bear the scars of incessant illegal mining, reducing the otherwise rich rainforest into an ecological crime scene whose ecosystem gasps for breath.
The Oda River, which gives the forest reserve its name, is no longer the clear, flowing artery it once was.
It has been transformed into a muddy, silt-laden channel, its banks eroded and its water milky-brown due to iron oxide and other pollutants.
Wider picture
The first time the Daily Graphic visited the forest on January 16, 2020, the otherwise green vegetation had been wiped off as hundreds of trees laid lifeless.
It had also been observed that the dark rich nutritious soil of the forest had been peeled off and replaced by deep gullies and pits that laid between heaps of excavated soil.
When the Daily Graphic returned to the forest reserve on January 19, this year, it was observed that the landscape had irrevocably altered, giving a stark testament to environmental devastation caused by illegal miners.
It was further observed that the once dense canopy, characteristic of tropical rain forests, had been decimated and replaced by swathes of impotent lands sandwiched by heaps of excavated soils from the activities of illegal miners.
Where towering trees once stood were now home to stumps and a plethora of gaping pits left behind by excavators used by illegal miners.
That observation lends credence to the aerial surveys conducted in late 2024 by the Forestry Commission which indicated that over 60 per cent of the Oda River Forest Reserve’s original tree cover had been lost due to illegal mining activities.
As a consequence, precious tree species such as African Teak (Pericopsis elata) and Iroko (Milicia excelsa) that were abundant and vital for local ecosystems and timber industry have been severely depleted and getting endangered.
Hardcore evidence
The extent of destruction the Daily Graphic observed at the forest reserve provided stronger justification to a study spearheaded by an associate professor at the Department of Forest Sciences, University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) – Ghana, Prof Simon Abugre, revealed massive destruction of the Oda River Forest Reserve.
The study titled “Forest landscape degradation, carbon loss and ecological consequences of illegal gold mining in Ghana (Abugre et. al., 2025) analysed forest cover dynamics between 2018 and 2023 in the forest reserve.
The researchers inventoried data from 12 plots in non-mined and mined (low, moderate and heavily) forest sites for its consequences on biodiversity and carbon stocks.
The study found that the forest cover declined by 5.96 per cent, shrinking from 16,959.89 hectares in 2018 to 15,952.82 hectares in 2023.
Additionally, it was discovered that illegal mining expanded astronomically by 1917.6 per cent, increasing from 52.78 hectares to 1059.85 hectares, with the most rapid expansion occurring between 2022 and 2023.
“The study revealed significant reductions in plant species richness and diversity across trees, shrubs, and climbers in mined areas, with heavily mined zones exhibiting a complete absence of vegetation.
The Shannon diversity index and structural attributes such as tree height and diameter also significantly declined, reflecting the widespread ecological disruption caused by gold mining activities,” portions of the research stated.
Again, it established that non-mined forest sites demonstrated higher biodiversity, greater structural complexity, and maintained the highest carbon stocks of 689.11 Megagrams of Carbon per hectare (Mg C ha−1), emphasising their role in mitigating climate change.
In contrast, heavily mined forest areas exhibited complete carbon loss, resulting in substantial potential CO2 emissions of 2522.15 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e).
In an interview with one of the co-authors of the paper, George Nkoah, he said worrying as the findings of the study was, the current situation was even be worst. “At the time we were collecting the data for the study in 2022 and 2023, there were portions of the Oda River Forest Reserve that we could not even access because illegal mining was ongoing there.
From 2024 till now, galamsey has intensified in that forest reserve, so I am sure that by now the scale of decline of the forest cover will be more than 10 per cent,” he said.
Disrupted ecosystem
Also, a 2023 study by the Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission reported a 45 per cent decline in avian species diversity within the actively mined areas of the Oda River Forest Reserve compared to undisturbed sections. This decline in bird population is worrying because birds play a crucial role in seed dispersal and pest control.
The Ashanti Regional Manager of the Forestry Services Division of the Forest Commission, Clement Amoah Omari, said apart from the destruction of biodiversity, the high-pitch sounds and vibration from heavy duty machines used by illegal miners had driven away most of the forest reserve’s wildlife such as monkeys, antelopes and pangolins, which once thrived in the dense undergrowth.
Crux of the matter
Statistics at the Forestry Commission indicate that 50 of the country’s 288 forest reserves have been impacted at various levels by illegal mining activities.
Also, a research released by scientists at WaterAid, in partnership with Tree Aid on November 5, 2025 revealed the direct impact of deforestation on the quality and quantity of water available to people across the world.
The research titled “From roots to rivers: how deforestation impacts freshwater access” revealed that between 2013 and 2025, vegetation dropped by 298,000 hectares in Ghana, at an average annual rate of 24,800 hectares.
This development is worrying because the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) says beyond their role in mitigating climate change, forests support the livelihoods of over 1.6 billion people worldwide (nearly 25 per cent of the global population) and contribute significantly to global food security and water regulation.
It is important for urgent steps to be taken to protect forest reserves from further destruction.
This is because healthy, thriving forests and freshwater are inextricably linked – forests regulate rainfall, capture moisture, filter pollutants and recharge groundwater.
Healthy forests are also irreplaceable ecosystems, home to a wide range of biodiversity, serving as vital carbon sinks and a pivotal part of the water cycle.
When forests are healthy and thriving, they sustain rivers and aquifers, improve water quality and can protect communities from the risk of drought and floods.
Source:
www.graphic.com.gh
