Oheneba Poku Foundation (OPF) has warned that illegal mining and increasing encroachment on protected buffer zones are threatening years of environmental restoration efforts around Lake Bosomtwe in the Ashanti Region, Ghana’s only natural lake.
The Foundation made the call in a statement issued and copied to the Ghana News Agency on Friday to commemorate World Environment Day 2026, urging urgent and coordinated action to safeguard the lake’s ecological future.
It described Lake Bosomtwe as one of Ghana’s most important ecological, cultural and environmental heritage assets, noting that it supports biodiversity, tourism, scientific research and the livelihoods of surrounding communities.
The statement said extensive restoration work has been undertaken over the years through partnerships involving the Oheneba Poku Foundation, the Asante Kingdom through the Manhyia Palace, the Water Resources Commission, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Forestry Commission and A Rocha Ghana.
It added that Community Resource Management Areas (CREMAs), the Bosomtwe and Bosome Freho District assemblies, as well as other stakeholders, had also played key roles in supporting restoration efforts within the Lake Bosomtwe enclave.
The Foundation indicated that the collective interventions had restored degraded lands and facilitated the planting of more than 300,000 trees within the lake enclave.
It said the efforts had strengthened ecosystem resilience and improved environmental awareness among local communities.
“Despite these achievements, the gains remain under serious threat,” it added.
The Foundation expressed deep concern over the growing impact of illegal and unsustainable mining activities, commonly known as galamsey, within parts of the Lake Bosomtwe catchment area.
It noted that the activities had become a major driver of land degradation, resulting in vegetation destruction, soil erosion, ecosystem disturbance and long-term environmental risks.
The Foundation warned that the continued degradation could reverse years of restoration investments and undermine conservation progress achieved by stakeholders.
It also raised concerns about increasing encroachment on designated buffer zones around the lake for farming and residential development.
According to the statement, the buffer zones play a critical role in protecting water quality, stabilising the ecosystem and preserving the ecological integrity of Lake Bosomtwe.
“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,” the Foundation stated.
The Foundation, therefore, called on the Environmental Protection Agency, Water Resources Commission, Forestry Commission, Minerals Commission, Bosomtwe District Assembly and Bosome Freho District Assembly to intensify collaborative efforts to protect the Lake Bosomtwe ecosystem.
It also urged traditional authorities, Community Resource Management Areas (CREMAs), environmental non-governmental organisations, civil society groups, research institutions, universities and local communities to strengthen their commitment to conservation and environmental stewardship within the lake enclave.
It further advocated stronger environmental monitoring and enforcement, effective protection of buffer zones, enhanced community stewardship programmes and sustained investment in landscape restoration and biodiversity conservation.
As part of activities marking World Environment Day 2026, the Foundation announced plans to undertake a public awareness campaign on the conservation of Lake Bosomtwe.
It also disclosed plans to publish a feature article in the Business & Financial Times and produce a documentary titled “Lake Bosomtwe; Restoration, Progress and Challenges.”
The documentary will showcase restoration achievements, scientific perspectives, community experiences and the environmental threats confronting the lake, the statement said.
“The Oheneba Poku Foundation believes that protecting Lake Bosomtwe is a shared responsibility that requires urgent collective action,” it stated.
The Foundation added that safeguarding the lake was not only an environmental necessity but also an investment in Ghana’s future.
“Together, we can protect the gains of restoration and secure the ecological future of Lake Bosomtwe,” it said.
World Environment Day, observed annually on June 5 and led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), serves as a global platform for raising awareness and mobilising action on pressing environmental challenges.