The Ghana Timber Millers Organisation (GTMO) has condemned the violent attack on a Forestry Commission timber monitoring checkpoint at Babatokuma in the Bono East Region, describing the incident as barbaric and calling for the immediate arrest and prosecution of those responsible.
In a statement issued on June 16, 2026, the association expressed outrage over the attack, which occurred on June 9 and resulted in the destruction of state property and injuries to Forestry Commission personnel.
“The GTMO is shocked and disappointed by such an incident where members of a timber trade association can attack staff of the Forestry Commission on an unsubstantiated allegation that personnel at the timber monitoring checkpoint are destroying their timber business,” the organisation stated.
The association stressed that the destruction of public property and the assault on government officials constitute criminal offences and urged security agencies to swiftly investigate the matter and bring the perpetrators to justice.
Rising Threat of Illegal Timber Trade
GTMO warned that illegal timber exploitation continues to undermine Ghana’s timber governance framework, which has long been regarded as one of the most robust regulatory systems in the tropical forestry sector.
According to the organisation, illegal operators have increasingly resorted to forceful and unauthorised entry into production forests, harvesting large volumes of valuable timber outside established legal procedures.
“Over the past decade, some groups of people have been running down the system by forcefully and violently entering production forests and making away with huge volumes of valuable timber,” the statement said.
The association noted that illegally harvested logs are often processed in unregistered mills before being introduced into legitimate supply chains, contaminating the market and encouraging further illegal logging activities.
Forests Under Pressure
GTMO raised concerns over the growing pressure on forest resources, particularly in the Bono, Ahafo and Western regions, where illegal logging activities have intensified.
“Large tracts of forests in Bono, Ahafo and Western Regions are now under siege,” the organisation warned.
It further alleged that substantial quantities of illegally sourced lumber are transported through the Techiman-Tamale-Bolgatanga-Paga corridor and smuggled into Sahelian countries, prompting the Forestry Commission to tighten monitoring and enforcement measures along key transit routes.
Call for National Action
The association described illegal timber exploitation as a national security and economic threat, warning that failure to address the situation could have serious consequences for the country’s forestry industry.
GTMO called on a broad range of stakeholders, including forest-owning communities, the National House of Chiefs, environmental advocacy groups, the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Ministry of the Interior and consumers of timber products, to support efforts to combat illegal logging and timber trafficking.
“If this unfortunate development is not effectively controlled, genuine and legal timber businesses will collapse sooner or later, leading to massive job losses and a decline in foreign exchange earnings,” the organisation cautioned.
Support for Forestry Commission
The association reaffirmed its support for the Forestry Commission’s efforts to curb illegal timber trade and maintain order within the sector.
It stressed that established mechanisms exist for addressing grievances and disputes within the timber industry and warned against the use of violence as a means of resolving disagreements.
“There are specified channels and laid-out procedures for seeking redress to all grievances in the timber trade. The timber sector does not operate in isolation where jungle laws are permitted,” the statement emphasised.
GTMO urged law enforcement agencies to ensure that those responsible for the attack are held accountable, arguing that decisive action is necessary to protect the integrity of Ghana’s forestry sector and deter similar incidents in the future.
