Policy Responses to Illegal Logging in Ghana: Insights from Goaso and Nkawie Forest Districts

Forests provide a range of essential ecosystem services, goods, and benefits to both humans and the environment. In Ghana, the forest sector is governed by numerous laws aimed at managing forest resources. Despite these regulations, political and institutional challenges hinder effective enforcement, leading to widespread illegal forest activities. These activities cause environmental degradation, financial losses, and disrupt the livelihoods of communities living near forests. Furthermore, detailed information on the types and frequencies of illegal activities in various forest reserves in Ghana is lacking. This study aimed to investigate the various illegal forest activities in the Nkawie and Goaso forest districts. Secondary data from the forest district offices, including records of confiscated timber from 2019 to 2021, reported forest offences, and actions taken, were collected and analyzed. The analysis was conducted using ANOVA and descriptive statistics, such as mean and frequency, in Microsoft Excel. Findings were presented through graphs and frequency tables, with tree species star-ratings categorized according to the system by Hawthorne and Abu-Juam. The most common illegal activities were transporting illegally sawn timber in Goaso and illegal farming in forest reserves in Nkawie. Twenty-two tree species were exploited, with Wawa, Onyina (Ceiba), Dahoma, and Mansonia being the most frequently targeted from 2019 to 2021. Among the star-rated species, those in the scarlet category (eight species) were the most exploited. Common deterrent actions included impounding timber at the district office in Goaso and reporting offenders to the police in Nkawie. The study recommends enhancing the involvement of environmental NGOs to collaborate actively with law enforcement agencies, aiming to reduce illegal forest activities through joint efforts.

Keywords: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Deforestation, Forest Degradation, Illegal Logging, Timber Exploitation.