A forest guard is in critical condition after being shot by suspected illegal loggers during a confrontation at a forest plantation in Abesewa, in the Ahafo Ano South West District of the Ashanti Region.
The suspects reportedly attempted to illegally fell trees in the plantation but opened fire when they were confronted by forest guards protecting the area.
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The Odikro of Bosomproso, Nana Yaw Gyamfi, said the plantation was established under a public-private partnership to restore degraded forest reserves. He noted that illegal logging has become a major threat to the project, with armed loggers repeatedly targeting the forest.
He appealed to the government to deploy security personnel to protect the plantation, warning that continued illegal logging could undermine the country’s reforestation efforts.
The injured forest guard is receiving treatment at Tepa Government Hospital, while police have launched investigations to arrest the suspects.
