Thirteen herdsmen have been remanded into police custody by the Bolgatanga Circuit Court for allegedly engaging in illegal activities within the Red Volta East and West Forest Reserves in the Nabdam District of Ghana’s Upper East Region.
The accused, Noro Kwabena, Hassan Banda, Jalo Wat, Jalo Braima, Jalo Sahadu, Soni Baba, Soni Mahamudu, Soni Dauda, Richard Anaba, Akulbire Kuyama, Abane Yussif, Akolgo Isaac, and Atampugre Alawine, face charges of conspiracy to cultivate farms and erect structures in a forest reserve without lawful authority, contrary to Sections 23 of Act 29 and Section 1(b) of the Forest Protection (Amendment) Act, 2022 (Act 624).
Illegal Operations in Protected Forest
According to the prosecution, the Bolgatanga District Forestry Manager, Felix Amoah, led a joint operation on October 7, 2025, at the Red Volta Forest Reserve in Nangodi, where the accused were found farming, building huts, grazing cattle, and engaging in sand-winning activities without authorization. Two tipper trucks allegedly used for sand-winning were impounded during the operation.
The suspects were arrested and handed over to the police. During interrogation, they reportedly admitted to the offences.
When the accused appeared before His Honour Sumaila Mbache Ahmadu on October 9, their lawyer, Anthony Namoo, applied for bail — but the request was declined. The court remanded them into police custody, with the case adjourned to October 23, 2025.
Forestry Commission Condemns Destruction
The Upper East Regional Forestry Manager, George Agbenawoshi, condemned the activities of the accused, describing them as destructive and a serious threat to the forest ecosystem.
“It’s true we went to the reserve during our usual patrols and found these individuals engaging in illegal activities,” he said. “They had brought in cattle, cultivated crops, and were even winning sand within the protected area. The trees we’ve planted there are being destroyed, so we had to apprehend them and hand them over to the police for prosecution.”
Repeat Offenders and Threat to Elephant Corridor
The Bolgatanga District Forestry Manager, Mr. Amoah, revealed that this was not the first time such illegal activities had occurred.
“There have been previous arrests for similar offences involving sand winning and cattle grazing,” he noted. “That stretch of land is an elephant corridor, and their activities are putting both the wildlife and the forest at risk.”
Call for Community Support
Mr. Agbenawoshi appealed to local communities, traditional authorities, and stakeholders to support efforts by the Forestry Commission to protect Ghana’s forest reserves.
“This is a huge government investment that must be protected,” he stressed. “We need the support of communities, traditional leaders, and assembly members to safeguard our forests for posterity. These reserves protect our water bodies and the environment — especially at a time when illegal mining is already causing widespread destruction.”
Source: A1Radioonline.com|101.1 MHz|Seidu Mutawakil|Bolgatanga
