The Ghana Institute of Foresters (GIF) has issued a scathing communiqué condemning the unlawful invasion of Forestry Commission offices in several districts by armed men believed to be operatives from National Security.

According to the Institute, on July 28, 2025, armed individuals stormed Forestry Commission District Offices in Nkawie, Bekwai, and Offinso, disrupting official work, intimidating staff, and forcefully accessing sensitive documents and equipment.

At the Offinso office, the operatives reportedly demanded access to the Registry and confiscated an official vehicle.

Prior incidents were also reported at Tepa and Goaso, where truckloads of seized illegal lumber were forcefully removed from Forestry Commission premises at night.

Describing the invasions as “barbaric” and “an insult to public service,” GIF stated that the actions constitute a direct assault on the institutional independence of the Forestry Commission, a statutory body mandated under Act 571 (1999) to regulate and conserve Ghana’s forest and wildlife resources.

"The Commission is not a political appendage or a sub-unit of any security service," the statement read. "No security agency, no matter how powerful, has the right to unilaterally invade the Commission’s offices without due legal procedure."

The Institute questioned who authorised the operatives involved in the raid and demanded answers about the use of arms and vehicles in the unauthorised operations.

It also expressed deep concern over what it termed the increasing interference of political and commercial interests in the forestry sector, particularly in relation to mining activities within protected forest reserves.

Highlighting the ongoing threat of illegal and so-called “permitted” mining in forest reserves, GIF accused the government of backtracking on its promise to repeal L.I. 2462, which controversially allows for mining in protected areas.

It warned that the normalisation of such acts risks setting a dangerous precedent for future intrusions under the guise of national security.

“This is a calculated attempt to intimidate and destabilise the lawful operations of the Forestry Commission,” said Dr. Abukari Nantogmah Attah, President of the Ghana Institute of Foresters.

The Institute is calling on:

The Ghana Police Service and other security agencies to launch full-scale investigations and prosecute those responsible.

The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources to take concrete steps beyond public statements to ensure accountability.

The Forestry Commission to work closely with law enforcement to protect its staff and ensure justice is served.

“Ghana is not a lawless nation. We cannot sit back while public officials are harassed and our laws flouted by unidentified armed groups. Enough is enough,” the communiqué concluded.