Bosomoa Forest Reserve under threat as 20 acres cleared for proposed health college

The Bosomoa Forest Reserve in the Bono East Region is facing a major environmental threat following the clearance of approximately 20 acres of protected land to make way for a proposed Nursing and Midwifery Training College.

The Reserve, located between Jema and Ampoma near Kintampo, is managed by the Kintampo Forest District under the Forestry Commission (FC).

It is one of only three remaining forest reserves in the region and plays a critical role in preserving the area’s ecological balance.

Forestry officials have described the land clearance as a serious act of encroachment that undermines national conservation laws and threatens the long-term integrity of the Reserve.

In response to the development, the Bono East Regional Minister, Hon. Francis Owusu Antwi, convened an emergency stakeholder meeting to address the situation.

Present at the meeting were:

Mr. David Kwaku Appiagyei – Regional Manager, Forest Services Division (FSD)

ACP Boadu – Deputy Bono East Regional Police Commander

Hon. Wilfred Zuuri – Kintampo South District Chief Executive

Supt. Ernest Kodjo Doukonoo – Kintampo South District Police Commander

Mr. Robert Sakyi (Slima) – Kintampo South Constituency Chairman

Mr. Maxwell Agyekum Oteng – Manager, Kintampo Forest District

Mr. Owusu Ansah – Deputy Manager, Kintampo Forest District

Security officials at the meeting warned that any move by the Forestry Commission to halt the project could provoke resistance from the Jema and Ampoma communities.

The caution was particularly aimed at the Rapid Response Team of the FC, which serves as the frontline security unit protecting the Reserve from encroachment and other forest-related offenses.

Speaking at the meeting, Mr. Appiagyei stressed that constructing infrastructure within a gazetted forest reserve is illegal and could set a dangerous precedent for future encroachments.

He emphasized that “the right procedure — including a formal appeal to the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and the Presidency — must be followed for the area to be legally degazetted before any development can take place.”

Until such approval is granted, he cautioned, the Bosomoa Forest Reserve “remains a protected area and cannot be encroached upon for any purpose by anybody.”

Environmental experts have warned that continued encroachment could lead to biodiversity loss, reduced carbon sequestration, and increased vulnerability of nearby communities to environmental hazards such as flooding and soil degradation.

The situation has sparked renewed calls for stronger enforcement of forest protection laws and community education on the long-term value of conservation.

Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith