The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, says all nine red-zoned forest reserves previously occupied by illegal miners have been successfully reclaimed, with 279 trucks transporting illegal wood also intercepted across the country.
According to him, Ghana has made significant strides in protecting its forests and restoring degraded lands, particularly in forest reserves affected by illegal mining and logging activities.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series at the Presidency on Wednesday, July 23, 2025, Mr. Buah identified deforestation and forest degradation as one of the greatest challenges facing the forestry sub-sector. He cited illegal mining (galamsey), illegal logging, wildfires, and unsustainable farming practices as the major drivers of the destruction.
He revealed that more than 5,500 hectares of forest land equivalent to about 7,500 football fields have been degraded within forest reserves across the country.
“In collaboration with law enforcement agencies, the Forestry Commission has successfully repossessed all nine red-zoned forest reserves that were previously under the control of armed gangs protecting illegal miners,” the minister announced.
Additionally, the minister added that the Forestry Commission has intercepted 279 trucks transporting illegal lumber, which were fined, and the wood confiscated and auctioned.
As part of government’s strategy to promote legal timber trade, Mr Buah said Ghana has entered into a Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) with the European Union. The agreement is aimed at ensuring that only legal timber from sustainably managed forests is exported to the EU market.
He said Ghana is expected to begin issuing the Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (FLEGT) license to accompany all timber exports to the EU starting from 8th October 2025.
The final step before implementation, according to the minister, is the ratification of Timber Utilization Contracts (TUCs) currently before Parliament for consideration.
Mr. Buah emphasized that these efforts are part of a broader national commitment to sustainable forest management and environmental protection, aligned with international standards and trade requirements.
