Unknown individuals invaded the Segyemase section of the Atewa Forest reserve with excavators and other mining equipment on Monday, 30th February 2023, despite the government’s ban on mining in forest reserves.
Even though the Commission officers moved quickly to set fire to the excavators and other mining equipment, they were unable to make an arrest.
Dr. Kenneth Ashigbey, Convener of the Media Coalition Against Illegal Mining, has blamed the Forestry Commission’s Chief Executive Officer for the recent invasion of the Atewa forest reserve by illegal miners.
Reacting to the comment, Dr. Ashigbey responded to the development by blaming the invasion on a lack of supervision by the Forestry Commission’s management.
“The leadership of the Forestry Commission should be held responsible. How did it happen that they did not see that the excavator was in there, and they want to pretend as if they have done something? He asked.
Dr. Ashigbey is of the opinion that the Commission is hiding evidence, thus destroying the excavator.
“They know who took the equipment in there, and so we need to hold the Chief Executive of the Forestry, up to the Regional officer and then the district officer responsible. We cannot accept this level of incompetence and complicity in this particular fight,” he reiterated.
Dr. Ashigbey also questioned the effectiveness of the supposed tracking of excavators and the geo-blocking initiative launched by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources last year.
“We have been told by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources that they are going to be tracking these excavators; we have been told that they are going to geo-block them, so how come we did not see them?” he said.