The Public Affairs Manager of the Forestry Commission, Joyce Ofori Kwafo, has confirmed that the Rapid Response Team officer injured by illegal miners is responding to treatment.
Speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, Madam Kwafo stated that the officer, who sustained a deep machete wound to his knee during an ambush in the Offin Shelterbelt Forest Reserve, was initially treated at Nkawie Government Hospital before being referred to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi.
She revealed that the attack was carried out by illegal miners armed with assault rifles and machetes.
“This adds to the incessant attacks on our officers in their line of duty,” she said, noting that despite being armed, the Forestry Commission’s personnel are often outmatched by illegal miners wielding sophisticated weapons.
“We had already rid the area of illegal miners, so our officers were only monitoring the situation, not knowing the miners had returned and laid an ambush,” she explained.
She added, “They were given pump-action guns, but those are nothing compared to the weapons these galamseyers have.”
Despite these attacks, she assured that the Forestry Commission remains committed to protecting the country’s forest reserves and water bodies.
“This is not the first. Someone was once tied to a tree and abandoned until a hunter rescued him. Some of our officers have been shot dead, but we will not give up,” she pledged.
ALSO READ: