Death of forest guards are preventable - Justice is the missing link

The killing of Raphael Ganyo, a forest guard shot dead while on duty at the Kalakpa Resource Reserve, highlights a painful truth: forest guards are dying not only because of dangerous work, but because justice is failing to protect them.

Violence against forest guards thrives where wildlife and environmental crimes go largely unpunished. When arrests do not lead to convictions and court cases drag on for years, criminals lose fear of the law. Forest guards are then seen as obstacles, not authority—making attacks more likely.

As has been rightly observed, deaths of forest guards can be prevented. Speedy trials, higher conviction rates, and strong punishments for wildlife crimes restore the deterrent power of the law. When environmental crime declines, attacks on forest guards also decline.

Protecting forest guards is not only about logistics and equipment. Justice itself is a form of protection. Swift prosecutions and firm sentences reduce illegal activity, weaken criminal networks, and prevent violent confrontations in the forests.

Ganyo did not die in vain, but his death must become a turning point. Ghana must urgently treat wildlife crime as a serious offense, prioritize cases involving attacks on forest guards, and end the culture of impunity.

Forest guards protect our natural heritage. The least the nation can do is protect them through justice.