File photo of a mob in protest
Efforts by officials of the Forestry Commission to clamp down on illegal mining in the Jimira Forest Reserve have been met with violent resistance, as armed thugs attacked a task force team attempting to access the reserve.
According to information gathered by JoyNews’ Erastus Asare Donkor, the Commission had received intel on Saturday, June 28, 2025, that illegal miners had once again invaded Compartment 34 of the Jimira Forest Reserve, specifically in the Bentiko-Pakyi section.
A member of the task force recounted that this was not the first time their operations had been obstructed by armed resistance.
“Apparently, we had made attempts on two occasions to clamp down on illegal miners at the said portion of the reserve but were prevented by armed thugs,” the officer revealed.
The most recent attack occurred on May 27, 2025, when the team, accompanied by seven police officers from the Nkawie Divisional Police Command, attempted to enter the area.
“At that instance, the armed thugs prevented the team from accessing the reserve,” the officer said.
The situation quickly turned violent.
“One of our officers who was seated at the front of one of our vehicles was hit with a machete several times by the thugs,” he recounted, adding that one of their vehicles also sustained damage from gunshots.
“Fortunately, apart from the officer who was hit with the machete, no one got injured.”
