Timber Validation Committee Condemns Attack on Babatokuma Checkpoint, Demands Arrests

The Timber Validation Committee (TVC) has strongly condemned the mob attack and vandalism of a timber checkpoint facility at Babatokuma, near Kintampo in the Bono East Region.

The incident, which occurred on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, saw a newly constructed accommodation facility for timber checkpoint personnel burned down and Forestry Commission staff attacked.

At its Second Quarter Meeting on Friday, June 12, the TVC described the attack as “brutal” and a “direct challenge to state authority” and efforts to protect Ghana’s forest resources.

The Committee urged the Ghana Police Service, local authorities, and community leaders to take immediate steps to investigate the incident and ensure the safety of Forestry Commission personnel. It called for a “swift and transparent response” to restore public confidence in the security of officials.

TVC Chairman, Hon. Philip Fiifi Buckman, noted the attack could undermine investor confidence, especially as Ghana is the first country in Africa and second in the world to export Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (FLEGT) licensed timber.

The TVC wants law enforcement to “take decisive action to bring all those involved to book” and prevent future incidents.