The Forestry Commission has initiated steps to set up 34 protection camps at strategic locations in forest reserves that are hotspots for illegal mining activities.

Each camp, which will host up to 12 forestry guards, will be equipped with communication gadgets, drones and arms to enhance surveillance and thwart attempts to carry out galamsey in the reserves.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Commission, Dr Hugh Brown, who disclosed this at a media briefing in Accra, said tenders had already been issued for four of the forest protection camps, with funding support from donor institutions.

“We expect 10 more camps by the end of the year, and by next year, we expect all 34 to be stationed at hotspot areas,” he added.

Dr Brown said the Commission was also encouraging large-scale timber companies to support the initiative financially by helping to establish camps within their concessions.

Currently, the Forestry Services Division (FSD) of the Commission is responsible for managing the country’s 288 forest reserves.

Situation

The first line of defence for forest reserves is forest guards, who live within surrounding communities and conduct routine monitoring of the reserves.

Dr Brown described the current arrangement—where forest guards reside among community members—as counterproductive to the fight against galamsey, particularly in forest reserves.

He said establishing camps closer to the reserves would place the guards in a better position to detect and respond to illegal activities before they are carried out.

Para-military transition

On measures to further strengthen the Commission’s capacity, Dr Brown said processes had begun to review the Forestry Commission Act, 1999 (Act 571), with the aim of transforming the Commission into a para-military institution.

He explained that the review of Act 571 was intended to restructure and reposition the Commission to better address current and future challenges while taking advantage of growth opportunities.

Dr Brown added that preparatory work on the bill had been completed and would be submitted to the Attorney-General’s Department for the necessary procedures towards its passage.

“We want to transition to a forest reserve protection system that is very effective. It will reduce attacks on guards, as they will operate in teams and be equipped with weapons and drones for surveillance,” he said.

Other initiatives

Dr Brown further said the Commission was working to streamline operations and improve resourcing for the FSD and the Timber Industry Development Division (TIDD) checkpoint system nationwide.

He noted that the Commission would also prioritise the expansion of eco-tourism sites by incorporating forest reserves with high eco-tourism potential, and develop and implement a payment for ecosystem services (PES) scheme—including carbon sequestration, watershed protection and biodiversity conservation—to support forest conservation and restoration.

He added that a revised Ghana Forest Landscape Restoration Strategy would be launched in the first half of 2026, drawing lessons from the implementation of the Tree for Life (T4L) initiative this year.