Environmental advocacy organisation A Rocha Ghana has strongly condemned the recent attack on Forestry Commission personnel and the destruction of state property at Babatokuma in the Kintampo District of the Bono East Region.
In a statement issued on June 12, the organisation described the incident, which occurred on June 9, as a dangerous act that endangered lives and damaged public property. A Rocha Ghana warned that the attack could have resulted in fatalities and undermines efforts to protect the country’s forests and natural resources.
The organisation noted that the incident is part of a growing pattern of threats, intimidation and violence against Forestry Commission officers, community monitors and other frontline environmental protection personnel.
According to A Rocha Ghana, repeated attacks on conservation officers without visible accountability risk emboldening perpetrators, weakening environmental law enforcement and eroding public confidence in the justice system.
The group stressed that individuals tasked with protecting Ghana’s forests and natural resources should be able to perform their duties without fear of violence or intimidation.
A Rocha Ghana is therefore calling for a swift, independent and impartial investigation into the attack, with all perpetrators prosecuted in accordance with the law. The organisation also wants enhanced security measures for Forestry Commission staff, greater transparency in the handling of such cases and stronger inter-agency collaboration to combat illegal logging, illegal mining, wildlife crime and other environmental offences.
The organisation further urged government institutions, traditional authorities, local communities and civil society groups to work together to protect Ghana’s natural resources through lawful and peaceful means.
“A attack on Forestry Commission personnel or any individual working to protect Ghana’s natural heritage is an attack on the rule of law and on our shared commitment to safeguarding the country’s future,” the statement said.
