{"id":332892,"date":"2017-06-30T07:52:09","date_gmt":"2017-06-30T07:52:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/citifmonline.com\/?p=332892"},"modified":"2017-06-30T07:52:09","modified_gmt":"2017-06-30T07:52:09","slug":"atiwa-bauxite-can-be-explored-without-harming-birim-osafo-maafo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2017\/06\/atiwa-bauxite-can-be-explored-without-harming-birim-osafo-maafo\/","title":{"rendered":"Atiwa bauxite can be explored without harming Birim – Osafo Maafo"},"content":{"rendered":"
The Senior Minister, Yaw Osafo Maafo, has downplayed degradation concerns with the Atiwa\u00a0rainforest reserve in Kyebi, stemming from Ghana’s decision to leverage bauxite deposits on a deal with China, that could see $15 billion pumped\u00a0into the\u00a0economy.<\/p>\n
Critics\u00a0have warned that the deal to exploit the about-$460 billion worth of bauxite in the area could potentially pollute water sources, like the River Birim, around the reserves, but speaking on the BBC\u2019s Focus on Africa on\u00a0Thursday, Mr. Osafo Maafo indicated that the bauxite could be exploited without harming the river.<\/p>\n
[contextly_sidebar id=”zbw0Cyquyvq4va4T1kctZtVffEisBLls”]The Senior Minister also said there could be a scenario where the Atiwa forest was not considered for bauxite exploration.<\/p>\n
He noted that “there are two major deposits of bauxite in Ghana, the bigger one is the\u00a0Nyinahin deposit, and not the Atiwa one. Therefore, what we are talking about can be done without touching the Atiwa [Forest].\u201d<\/p>\n
But in the event it became necessary to tap into the bauxite deposits in Atiwa,\u00a0Mr.\u00a0Osafo Maafo said this could be done without polluting the Birim.<\/p>\n
“You can exploit the bauxite in Atiwa from the north-eastern side without affecting the River Birim… The bauxite deposit covers a very extensive area. The river takes its sources from a particular side and you can do it without affecting the river source.”<\/p>\n
The Birim River is already heavily polluted as a result of illegal mining activities.<\/p>\n