Adu Gyamfi, Sunyani Forestry Division Manager
The Sunyani Forestry Division Manager, Mr. Adu Gyamfi, is advocating for increased collaboration and the establishment of an environmental court to protect Ghana’s forest reserves.
This call to action highlights the importance of a multi-faceted approach to safeguarding natural resources, particularly in the Bono Region and across the country.
Mr. Adu Gyamfi believes that through joint efforts with key stakeholders—including security agencies, local communities, the media, and civil society organizations—Ghana can more effectively manage and preserve its forest reserves.
Speaking on Ark FM’s morning political show, Mr. Adu Gyamfi expressed concern over the increasing degradation of forest reserves caused by cattle invasion and other human activities, particularly at the Tain II Forest Reserve in Namasua, located within the Berekum East Municipality of the Bono Region.
He revealed that five out of seven forest reserves—Sawsaw, Tain II, Tain I, Nsemre, and Yaya—have been significantly degraded by both cattle and human activities.
In addition, he identified wildfires and illegal chainsaw operations as major contributors to the depletion of forest resources.
According to Mr. Adu Gyamfi, a collaborative effort is essential to address alarming issues such as deforestation, cattle invasion, illegal logging, and habitat destruction.
He emphasized the need for a specialized environmental court to handle environmental crimes and disputes. Such a court, he noted, would offer a more effective and efficient mechanism for addressing threats to forest reserves.
This dedicated court would ensure that perpetrators of environmental degradation are held accountable and that the country’s natural resources are preserved for future generations.
Mr. Adu Gyamfi also expressed concern that offenders are sometimes fined as little as GH₵3,600. He argued that many judges lack a proper understanding of the devastating impact of activities such as cattle invasion, illegal logging, and mining. As a result, judgments often fail to deter future offenses.
He pointed out that the issue of lenient fines is particularly pressing in the Bono Region, where environmental degradation poses serious threats to ecosystems and local communities.
To address this, he called for the strengthening of environmental laws and the training of specialized judges who are well-informed about the severity of environmental crimes.
Mr. Adu Gyamfi stressed the importance of imposing stricter punitive measures on offenders as a key strategy in combating environmental degradation.
He also urged all security agencies to collaborate and intensify efforts to apprehend illegal intruders in protected forest areas.
