The Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission, Elikem E.K. Kotoko, has vowed a renewed crackdown on illegal logging and unlicensed sawmills following a two-day working visit to the Ahafo and Bono East Regions.
During separate meetings with timber contractors and stakeholders on October 16 and 17, 2025, Mr. Kotoko decried the alarming rise in illegal tree felling and the mushrooming of unauthorized sawmills, which he said are crippling legitimate timber businesses and depleting Ghana’s forests.
“In the past decade, the number of illegal sawmills has risen to a staggering 300, taking a major toll on contractors who are legally registered,” he disclosed in Ahafo. “Illegal felling of trees has increased sharply, and it is destroying both livelihoods and our forest resources.”
He linked part of the problem to what he described as politically influenced compartment allocations in recent years. “It has become obvious that in the past eight years, compartments were allocated to persons who may not necessarily be in the business but considered to be cronies and allies of the past regime,” he stated. “Many of their sawmills are either not functioning or not operating to capacity.”
Mr. Kotoko announced plans to request military support to reinforce the Forestry Commission’s Rapid Response Team in tackling the illegal operations. “Ahafo may not have much galamsey, but illegal logging is becoming the new threat,” he warned. “We must act now before the situation worsens.”
He assured stakeholders that the Forestry Commission would intensify engagement with the industry to restore confidence. “Our partners in the timber industry must know that we appreciate their role in national development,” he said. “We are rebuilding trust through dialogue and action.”
The meeting in Ahafo was attended by officials of the Forestry Commission, including the regional managers of the Wildlife Division, Forest Services Division, and Timber Industry Development Division, alongside executives of the timber contractors’ association.
In Techiman, Bono East, where the Deputy CEO met another group of contractors and merchants, discussions turned tense over complaints about frequent arrests by Forestry Commission officials. Stakeholders accused the Commission of harassment over alleged fake documentation, under-declaration of wood quantities, and misrepresentation of wood species.
Some contractors suggested that seized wood deemed illegal should be auctioned to them, but Mr. Kotoko dismissed the proposal outright. “That would only encourage more wrongdoing,” he argued. “People would deliberately engage in illegal felling just to buy back their wood. It promotes crime and undermines the rule of law.”
He urged the industry to pursue dialogue rather than confrontation. “Engagement and open communication must be the first option, not waiting for a Chief Executive’s visit to air grievances,” he told the group.
Mr. Kotoko also fulfilled a campaign promise made during a previous visit by donating five streetlights to illuminate parts of the Techiman timber market, pledging to add more if needed.
Outlining the Commission’s new direction, he said the Forestry Commission is shifting towards a business-oriented model as directed by the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah. “The Commission must not only protect the forest but also become profitable,” he said.
He ended his Bono East visit with a strong message of accountability and renewed leadership under the new administration. “The new Sheriff in town is John Dramani Mahama,” he declared. “No one should think they can undermine government efforts and go scot-free.”
The visits form part of the Forestry Commission’s nationwide stakeholder engagements aimed at strengthening regulation, promoting responsible timber trade, and ensuring Ghana’s forest resources are managed sustainably.
Source: www.KumasiMail.Com/JosephZiem
