Forestry Commission Condemns Arson Attack on Staff Facility
The Forestry Commission of Ghana has condemned what it describes as a brazen attack on state authority, after an irate mob vandalised and set ablaze a newly constructed accommodation facility for timber checkpoint personnel at Babatokuma, near Kintampo.
According to a statement released by the Commission, the attack occurred on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, at approximately 3:30 p.m. Personnel stationed at the facility were responsible for monitoring overland movement of timber products, specifically aimed at curbing illegal transportation of timber and timber products to neighbouring countries.
Eyewitness accounts and preliminary investigations indicate that the mob targeted the facility after claiming that the Commission’s operations threatened their timber business interests in the area. During the assault, personnel on duty were attacked and injured before the mob forcibly entered the premises, vandalised the structure, and burned it down.
The injured officers were rushed to the Kintampo Government Hospital for medical treatment. The Kintampo Divisional Police Command has been notified, and the Forestry Commission confirms it is working closely with police and other security agencies to identify and arrest the perpetrators, who were captured on video.
“This attack is not only an assault on the Forestry Commission but also an affront to State authority and a direct attempt to undermine efforts to safeguard the nation’s forest resources,” the Commission said in its press statement.
The Commission further noted that the incident highlights a worrying trend of impunity, recalling that similar brutal attacks on personnel and offices have occurred in the past.
“Ghana risks losing its forest resources, with its attendant negative ecological and socio-economic consequences,” the statement warned, “if the increasing disregard for forest laws and regulations is left unchecked.”
The Forestry Commission has reiterated its commitment to protecting the nation’s forest endowments and called on the public to support law enforcement efforts to bring the attackers to justice.
Story by Adwoa S. Danso
