Clearance of Bosomoa Forest Reserve Sparks Environmental and Legal Concerns in Bono East
The Bosomoa Forest Reserve in the Bono East Region has become the centre of public controversy following the clearance of about 20 acres of the protected area to make way for the construction of a proposed Nursing and Midwifery Training School.
Situated between the Jema and Ampoma communities near Kintampo, the Bosomoa Forest Reserve is one of only three remaining forest reserves in the Region. It falls under the management of the Kintampo Forest District of the Forest Services Division (FSD) of the Forestry Commission (FC).
Forestry officials have described the development as a major act of encroachment that poses a significant threat to the ecological integrity of the Reserve.
The Bono East Regional Manager of the FSD, Mr. David Kwaku Appiagyei, was summoned to an emergency stakeholder meeting convened by the Bono East Regional Minister, Mr. Francis Owusu Antwi, to discuss the situation and determine the appropriate course of action.
The meeting was attended by key regional and district officials, including the Deputy Bono East Regional Police Commander, ACP Boadu; the Kintampo South District Chief Executive, Mr. Wilfred Zuuri; the District Police Commander, Supt. Ernest Kodjo Doukonoo; the Kintampo South Constituency Chairman, Mr. Robert Sakyi (popularly known as Slima); the Kintampo Forest District Manager, Mr. Maxwell Agyekum Oteng; and his Deputy, Mr. Owusu Ansah.
During the meeting, security officials reportedly cautioned that any attempt by the Forestry Commission to halt or delay the project could trigger strong community resistance from residents of Jema and Ampoma. The warning was specifically directed at the Commission’s Rapid Response Team, which serves as the primary security unit mandated to protect the Bosomoa Reserve from illegal activities and encroachment.
Addressing the gathering, Mr. Appiagyei stressed that the construction of infrastructure within a gazetted forest reserve constitutes a violation of Ghana’s conservation and forestry laws. He cautioned that such actions could set a dangerous precedent and undermine efforts to preserve the country’s remaining forest resources.
“The right channel, thus an appeal to the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, as well as the Presidency, must be applied for a gazette to relinquish the protected area for the proposed college,” he stated.
Mr. Appiagyei further emphasised that until the necessary legal processes are completed, the Bosomoa Forest Reserve remains a gazetted and protected area, warning that “it cannot therefore be encroached on for any purpose by anybody.”
The situation has heightened tensions between conservation authorities and local community leaders, as environmentalists raise concerns about the long-term implications of converting protected forest land for infrastructure projects.
