By Charles Tawiah
Barekese (Ash), June 13, GNA – Five key stakeholder groups have been urged to collaborate effectively to protect the catchment area of the Barekese Water Treatment Plant in the Atwima Nwabiagya North District of the Ashanti Region.
Dr Hanson Mensah-Akutteh, Ashanti Regional Director of the Ghana Water Company (GWC), identified the District Assembly, traditional authorities, community members, schools and youth groups, as well as the media, as critical institutions in safeguarding the catchment.
He said the Assembly must strengthen and enforce by-laws to prevent activities that degrade the catchment, while traditional rulers should continue championing environmental stewardship within their communities.
Dr Mensah-Akutteh noted that community members and farmers must adopt sustainable land-use practices and actively participate in tree-planting activities, while schools and youth groups should embrace environmental conservation as a civic responsibility.
He also called on the media to sustain public education on the importance of protecting water sources and support advocacy efforts aimed at environmental conservation.
Dr Mensah-Akutteh made the call during a tree-planting exercise organised by the GWC in collaboration with the Forestry Commission (FC) within the catchment area of the Barekese Water Treatment Plant under the “Tree for Life” initiative.
The exercise forms part of efforts to plant more than 5,000 trees, comprising mahogany, Terminalia superba (Ofram) and Cedrela odorata (Gyenegyene), within the catchment area throughout June 2026.
He emphasised that the quality and quantity of water available for treatment depended largely on the health of the catchment ecosystem.
According to him, the catchment was not merely a geographical area but a lifeline that sustained the treatment plant, which supplies safe drinking water to thousands of consumers in the Kumasi Metropolis and surrounding communities.
“Reforestation is not only an environmental exercise but a strategic investment in the survival of the water industry and the sustainability of continuous service delivery to support life and socio-economic growth,” he stated.
Dr Mensah-Akutteh explained that forests serve as natural filters that improve water quality, enhance climate resilience, improve rainfall patterns, reduce evaporation, lessen the burden on treatment facilities, and minimise the risks associated with droughts and flooding.
He expressed concern about the significant degradation of the catchment over the years due to illegal logging, indiscriminate farming practices, bush burning, sand winning and settlement expansion.
These activities, he said, had resulted in soil erosion, sedimentation of water bodies, reduced reservoir capacity, and deterioration in raw water quality through eutrophication and high turbidity levels.
Mr. Abraham Essel, Nkawie District Forestry Manager, said the three tree species selected for the exercise were chosen because of their fast growth rate, early maturity and ability to protect watersheds.
Mr. Mba Zechariah Alenbilla, District Chief Executive for Atwima Nwabiagya North, commended the institutions involved in the initiative and pledged the Assembly’s support to ensure its success.
He noted that environmental conservation and afforestation remained key priorities of the Government and urged residents to support efforts aimed at restoring and protecting the district’s natural resources.
GNA
Edited by Yussif Ibrahim/Kenneth Odeng Adade
Reporter: Charles Tawiah