The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has strongly condemned the forceful closure of the Bekwai District Office of the Forestry Commission by a group of armed men posing as National Security operatives.
According to reports, the unidentified group stormed the office in the Ashanti Region earlier this week, forcibly locking staff out and halting operations without prior notice or official authorization. Eyewitnesses say the men were heavily armed and claimed to be acting on orders from high-level security officials, although no supporting documentation was provided.
In a statement issued Tuesday, Minister Buah described the incident as “unacceptable, unlawful, and a threat to state authority.” He stressed that no group has the right to take the law into its own hands, regardless of alleged affiliations.
“The Forestry Commission is a legally established institution of the state, and any concerns about its operations must follow due process,” the minister said. “Such acts of intimidation and lawlessness have no place in our governance system.”
He further disclosed that the Ministry is collaborating with the Ministry of National Security and the Ghana Police Service to investigate the incident and bring the perpetrators to justice.
Meanwhile, operations at the Bekwai office remain suspended, pending security clearance. The minister reassured the public that steps are being taken to ensure the safety of Forestry Commission staff and the uninterrupted protection of Ghana’s forest resources.
