Audio By Carbonatix
JoyNews investigations have uncovered what appears to be a final scramble for the country's forest reserves just days before the presidential and parliamentary elections.
Heavily armed thugs have invaded the reserves with heavy earth-moving equipment, overpowering personnel of the Forestry Commission, who were left helpless.
The illegal gold mining operations have wreaked havoc on several hectares of the once-lush Jimmirah, Tano–Offin, Offin Belt, Aseneyo, and Apamprama forest reserves.
Officials of the Forestry Commission in the area are at their wits' end.
Ashanti Regional Forestry Commission Manager, Clement Omari told JoyNews that “It looks as if our future is bleak in terms of managing the resources."
'We are very overwhelmed. And if we are in charge of a forest reserve, we have so many thugs mountain barricades or barriers, and you cannot assess the forest itself, to do your day-to-day activities. It's very serious.”
Ohemeng Tawiah has more in the following report.
Latest Stories
-
Explosion reported outside US embassy in Oslo, police say
6 minutes -
Trump accuses UK PM of seeking to ‘join wars after we’ve already won’
10 minutes -
See the areas that will be affected by ECG’s planned maintenance today, March 8
30 minutes -
First Lady champions ‘Give to Gain’ spirit for International Women’s Day
1 hour -
Ghana@69: Ghana mission in Canada promotes investments and partnerships
1 hour -
Lebanon condemns ‘grave breach’ as missiles strike Ghanaian UN base
2 hours -
Franklin Cudjoe demands urgent TOR overhaul as Middle East crisis threatens fuel security
2 hours -
10 injured in three-vehicle crash on Konongo–Kumasi road
2 hours -
UK aircraft carrier given five days to be ready to deploy
3 hours -
Ghana to replicate digital innovation success in Malawi
3 hours -
Iranian ambassador warns UK to be ‘very careful’ about further involvement in war
3 hours -
She Gives: The ripple effect of women who choose to give
3 hours -
Nadowli-Kaleo District observes 69th Independence Day with cultural exhibition and academic awards
3 hours -
Chambas Team of Red Alert, Narcotics Commission join forces to combat drug abuse
3 hours -
Tano North MCE launches 75 km road project under DRIP initiative
4 hours