The Ghana Institute of Foresters (GIF) has issued a stern condemnation of what it describes as an unlawful and barbaric invasion of Forestry Commission district offices by armed men suspected to be operatives of the National Security.
In a strongly worded communiqué released on Tuesday, the Institute, which serves as the professional body safeguarding the integrity of Ghana’s forestry sector, expressed outrage over the incidents, which took place on Monday, July 28, 2025. According to the statement, armed individuals stormed Forestry Commission offices at Nkawie, Bekwai, and Offinso, forcibly disrupting official work, intimidating staff, and unlawfully accessing files, equipment, and other sensitive records.
The situation at Offinso, in particular, saw the armed men reportedly demanding access to the Registry and seizing keys to the official vehicle, deepening concerns about the nature and intent of the operation. Prior to these incidents, similar invasions had been reported in Tepa and Goaso, where truckloads of seized illegal lumber were taken from Forestry Commission premises by unidentified armed persons under the cover of darkness.
“The manner of these invasions—armed operatives barging into peaceful offices, locking out staff, seizing equipment, and issuing verbal threats—is nothing short of barbaric,” the Institute lamented. “It is an insult to the public service, a disgrace to Ghana’s democratic credentials, and an affront to institutional professionalism.”
The Ghana Institute of Foresters emphasized that the Forestry Commission is a statutory body established under Act 571 (1999), with a legal mandate to regulate, conserve, and manage the country’s forest and wildlife resources. The Commission’s authority includes regulating entry into forest reserves, controlling land use, and overseeing all forest operations in line with national and international legal frameworks.
“The Commission is not a political appendage or a sub-unit of any security service,” the statement declared. “No security agency, no matter how powerful, has the right to unilaterally invade the Commission’s offices without due legal procedure. This unlawful intrusion constitutes an assault on the authority of the Forestry Commission and a worrying erosion of institutional independence in Ghana.”
The Institute raised critical questions regarding the identity and backing of those behind the invasions, demanding to know who empowered the individuals with arms and vehicles to conduct such unauthorized operations. It also called for accountability for those captured on video and in photographs during the illegal activities.
In linking the invasions to broader issues, the GIF expressed deep concern about the growing trend of both illegal and so-called “legalized illegal” mining activities within forest reserves. According to the communiqué, mining activities are being carried out in protected areas without the full consent of the Forestry Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in clear violation of Ghana’s forest protection laws.
“It is troubling that the very forests foresters work hard to protect are being opened up to mining in the name of permits—permits which often contradict the principles of conservation and public accountability,” the statement said. “The current government promised to review L.I. 2462, which controversially allows mining in forest reserves. Yet, the promise appears forgotten after elections, and our forests remain under threat.”
The Institute further warned that the normalization of such illegal intrusions into state institutions could embolden similar acts in the future, even by foreign actors, under the guise of national security. It described the pattern as a deliberate attempt to destabilize the lawful operations of the Forestry Commission and intimidate its officers.
As part of its demands, the Ghana Institute of Foresters called on the Ghana Police Service and other state security agencies to immediately investigate the matter and bring the perpetrators to justice. It also urged the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources to go beyond public statements and take concrete steps to restore public confidence in the forestry sector by ensuring the safety and autonomy of its staff.
In addition, the Institute appealed to the Forestry Commission to collaborate with law enforcement to ensure that its staff are protected in the discharge of their duties and that perpetrators of the invasions are identified and prosecuted.
“Ghana is not a lawless nation,” the Institute reminded. “We should not sit back and watch while public officers are harassed and our laws trampled upon by faceless individuals. Enough is enough.”
The statement, signed by Dr. Abukari Nantogmah Attah Esq., President of the Ghana Institute of Foresters, has been copied to the President of the Republic, the Chief of Staff, the Speaker of Parliament, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, the Inspector General of Police, the National Security Coordinator, and the Board and Management of the Forestry Commission, as well as all major media houses.
