Story: Atta Kwaku Boadi

The newly appointed Board Chairman of Forestry Commission, Professor  Martin Oteng-  Ababio has served a strong warning to illegal miners popularly known as galamseyers  to stay away from the country’s forest reserves else they will face the wrath of his board. 

Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony   of the Board, Prof. Oteng -Ababio who is also an Urban Environmentalist said,  “Honourable Minister, a strong warning is hereby served that the board I will chair will not be one that only enjoys the comfort of the boardroom. My team, management, and I will join our forest guards in the fields to provide them with moral support to protect our forests and the Ramseyer”.

The University  of Ghana(UG) Don  noted that, to deal with the illegal mining activities , although challenging , they were  not insurmountable. 

“We can rebuild and reset the Forestry Commission with collective effort, transparency, innovation, and strong stakeholder collaboration. I am committed to leading the Board with integrity, building institutional resilience, and ensuring that our forest and wildlife resources serve present and future generations”, he promised. 

Earlier, the Minister of Lands  and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Kofi Armah Buah emphasised the major threats facing the nation’s forests, including illegal mining (galamsey), illegal logging, wildfires, and other harmful activities.

“These challenges not only degrade our ecosystems but also threaten the livelihoods of communities that depend on these natural resources,” he said.

Describing the new Board as a team of experts from diverse fields, he expressed confidence in their ability to confront and overcome these pressing issues.

Members of  the  Board  are;  Prof. Martin Oteng-Ababio – Chairman, Dr.Hugh C. A Brown – CEO, Forestry Commission,  Kumbun Na Yiri II – Representative of the National House of Chiefs, Richard Duah Nsenkyire – Representative of Timber Trade and Industry,Tetteh-Hevy Oman – Representative of the Wildlife trade and industry and  Dr. Abukari Nantgmah Attah – Representative of the Ghana Institute of Professional Foresters

The rest are; Dominic Kwasi Nyanzu – Representative of non-governmental organization involved in forest and wildlife management, Surv. Raphael Hokey Esq. – Representative of the Lands Commission, Brig Gen (Rtd), Dr. Albert Kabenlah Adu , hree (3) other persons with financial, commercial or managerial experience nominated by the Minister, Nana Kojo Toku  and Mavis Kuukua Bissue. MP.

FULL STATEMENT BY THE BOARD CHAIR OF THE FORESTRY COMMISSION 

Honourable Minister and Deputy Minister, Chief Directors, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen and our friends from the media, 

I stand here today, truly honoured by His Excellency, President John Dramani Mahama’s trust in us to serve on the Forestry Commission’s board. As the Chair of the Board, I recognise this institution’s crucial role in the sustainable management of Ghana’s forest and wildlife resources. We take on this responsibility with humility, dedication, and a renewed sense of purpose. 

Upon assuming office, we will assist the Chief Executive and the management in addressing the multitude of key challenges, both internal and external, to reset the Forestry Commission as a robust and efficient agency. Some of the key challenges are: 

INTERNAL CHALLENGES 

1. Limited Funding and Budget Constraints:
   The Commission continues to grapple with inadequate financial resources. These constraints severely affect its ability to effectively monitor forests, undertake reforestation programs, and develop ecotourism and wildlife conservation initiatives. 
2. Logistical and Technological Limitations:
   There is a significant shortfall in essential logistics, particularly computers and accessories needed for the smooth functioning of the FLEGT license issuance system. Additionally, the Commission operates with an inadequate and overused fleet of vehicles, which impacts field operations. 
3. Staffing and Capacity Gaps – brain drain:
   In recent years, the FC has lost many young, well-trained personnel. Due to poor 

working conditions and uncompetitive remuneration, many have resigned to join other institutions or relocated abroad for better opportunities. This brain drain is affecting institutional memory and operational capacity. 

• Corruption and Weak Internal Controls:
  The past four years have seen troubling irregularities in concession awards, complicity in illegal logging, and significant breaches of procurement processes. These issues must be addressed transparently and systematically to restore public confidence and institutional integrity. 

EXTERNAL CHALLENGES 

1. Illegal Logging and Galamsey:
The scourge of illegal logging and small-scale mining (galamsey) continues to deplete our forest resources at an alarming rate, posing a grave threat to sustainability. 

• Attacks on Personnel:
  FC staff are increasingly being subjected to threats and attacks in the line of duty—an issue that not only undermines morale but also endangers lives. 
• Land Use Conflicts and Encroachment:
  Protected areas such as the Sukumono Ramsar Site and the Achimota Forest Reserve are under siege from encroachers, leading to biodiversity loss and the erosion of critical ecosystem services. 
• Climate Change Impacts:
  The changing climate continues to alter forest dynamics, threatening habitats, increasing the frequency of wildfires, and exacerbating desertification. 
• Political Interference:
  The over-politicisation of forest governance has sometimes weakened enforcement mechanisms and distorted development priorities. 

The Way Forward 

These challenges, though daunting, are not insurmountable. We can rebuild and reset the Forestry Commission with collective effort, transparency, innovation, and strong stakeholder collaboration. I am committed to leading the Board with integrity, building institutional resilience, and ensuring that our forest and wildlife resources serve present and future generations. 

Honourable Minister, a strong warning is hereby served that the board I will chair will not be one that only enjoys the comfort of the boardroom. My team, management, and I will join our forest guards in the fields to provide them with moral support to protect our forests and the Ramseyer sites. These sites are not for any political party, so we will jealously and indiscriminately support the President in their protection for Ghana. 

Thank you, and may God bless our homeland, Ghana.