The Forestry Commission (FC) is set to undergo a major transformation, including a proposed shift to a paramilitary structure, aimed at strengthening enforcement and accelerating forest conservation across Ghana.
Speaking at the annual press briefing, Dr. Hugh C. A. Brown, Chief Executive of the FC, said the restructuring will enhance the Commission’s ability to tackle illegal logging, mining, and other threats while leveraging growth opportunities in the forestry sector. Plans include the establishment of Forest Protection Camps and the rehabilitation of field stations within wildlife protected areas.
The Commission will also operationalize the Wildlife Resources Management Act, 2023 (Act 1115) and introduce a Payment for Ecosystem Services scheme to incentivize forest conservation and restoration. Additionally, the revised Ghana Forest Landscape Restoration Strategy will be launched in 2026, building on the successes of the Tree for Life (T4L) initiative, which has restored over 65,900 hectares of degraded land and distributed more than 26 million tree seedlings nationwide.
Dr. Brown highlighted the Commission’s commitment to creating green jobs, noting over 41,000 positions generated under government-led programs, including Youth Forest Champions and Modified Taungya System farmers.
On law enforcement, the FC, supported by the military, has seized hundreds of mining and logging equipment since March 2025. Ghana has also become the first African country to issue Forest Law Enforcement, Governance, and Trade (FLEGT) licenses for legally sourced timber exports to the European Union.
Ongoing initiatives such as the Ghana Cocoa Forest REDD+ Programme and the Ghana Shea Landscape Emission Reductions Project underscore the Commission’s dual focus on climate action and sustainable economic development.
