The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has disclosed troubling levels of forest degradation across Ghana, with nearly 16 percent of the nation’s forest cover lost over the past eight years.
Addressing a presentation to mark his one-year anniversary at the ministry, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Emmanuel Armah Buah, outlined the scale of environmental damage inherited by the current administration. He revealed that out of Ghana’s 288 forest reserves, 44 have been completely destroyed. Additionally, nine reserves were declared “red zones,” rendering them inaccessible due to illegal mining activities dominated by armed groups.
The Minister noted that about 5,500 hectares of forest reserves—equivalent to more than 7,500 football fields—have been severely degraded. Further assessments later increased the estimate to nearly 8,000 football fields. He added that restoring these lands would require billions of dollars in investment.
The Ashanti, Western, and Western North regions were identified as the most heavily affected. Visual evidence presented showed forest reserves that had been preserved for over a century but were rapidly destroyed within just eight years of illegal exploitation.
In response to the crisis, the government initiated an extensive reforestation and land reclamation programme. In March 2025, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo launched the Tree for Life Reforestation Initiative in the Ashanti Region. The initiative targets the planting of 30 million seedlings to restore degraded forest landscapes.
Within its first year of implementation, over 28 million seedlings were planted through collaborations with the private sector. The programme has also facilitated the rehabilitation of 340 hectares of degraded mining lands in the Western and Ashanti regions.
Beyond reforestation, the ministry has strengthened forest governance. Ghana recently became the first African country to obtain a Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) licence, enabling the legal export of timber to the European Union—an achievement officials say underscores the country’s commitment to sustainable forest management.
The ministry has also prioritised the retooling and motivation of forestry law enforcement officers, who were found to be severely under-resourced upon assumption of office.
According to the ministry, significant progress has been made, with all nine forest reserves previously classified as red zones now fully reclaimed and secured.
Story by: Ernest Frimpong (0247220948) | Follow our social media platforms: @uktvghana
