Officials of the Tarkwa Forest District Office say they are living in fear after scores of illegal miners attacked their office following a crackdown on unauthorised mining activities in the Neung South Forest Reserve on Monday.
The miners, angered by the seizure and immobilisation of their excavator, have reportedly been staging protests and issuing threats at the forest office, disrupting its operations since the incident occurred.
According to officials, the latest confrontation took place on Wednesday during a meeting between the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of Tarkwa Nsuaem, Ebenezer Cobbinah, and the District Manager.
“Minutes after he entered and the discussion was ongoing, some of the people came to the office premises wielding knives, threatened again to burn our vehicles, and in the process, cut the tyres of the District Manager’s personal vehicle with a knife. The MCE stopped them from further destruction and took them away,” one official recounted.
A situational report filed by the Forest Office detailed that on Monday, June 2, 2025, around 10:30 am, the office received intelligence about an excavator unlawfully operating in the Neung South Forest Reserve. A Rapid Response Team was dispatched, and the Regional Manager was informed. A backup team was later deployed to immobilise the excavator.
Following the operation, a group led by one Ruben Agbokah, alongside a woman alleged to be the Women’s Organiser of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), stormed the Tarkwa Forest District Office. The group reportedly forced staff out of the premises and locked the office.
“Some staff members were hit in the chest during the altercation. It took the intervention of the Regional Crime Officer and his men to retrieve the keys. They also threatened to burn the office and personal vehicles,” officials said, adding that the office vehicles are now being kept at the police station for safety.
The protesters reportedly returned the next day and have since continued to disrupt office activities, making it impossible for staff to carry out any meaningful duties since Monday.
The District Manager and one Assistant District Manager are said to be the primary targets of the attacks, as the illegal miners believe they ordered the immobilisation of the excavator.
The Neung South Forest Reserve, along with other forest zones in the area, has been under persistent threat from illegal mining activities.
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