The Forestry Commission (FC) has strongly condemned the killing of one of its officers, Mr. Raphael Ganyo, a Resource Guard with the Wildlife Division stationed at the Kalakpa Resource Reserve in the Volta Region.

Mr. Ganyo was fatally shot in the early hours of Tuesday, January 6, 2026, while on patrol near the Zitoe Camp within the reserve.

According to the Commission, at about 6:00 a.m., a patrol team responding to a suspected poaching incident encountered an armed individual hiding in dense vegetation near the boundary of the reserve.

During the operation, Mr. Ganyo was shot in the chest by the suspected poacher and was pronounced dead at the scene.

The incident was immediately reported to the Ghana Police Service. Crime scene investigations were conducted, and the body of the deceased was conveyed to the Ho Regional Hospital morgue for autopsy.

The Commission says it is working closely with the police to identify and apprehend the perpetrator.

Mr. Raphael Ganyo was born on March 15, 1997, and hails from Mafi Kumasi in the Volta Region.

He joined the Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission on November 1, 2021, as a Resource Guard and served in the Law Enforcement Unit until his untimely death.

The Forestry Commission has thus extended its deepest condolences to the family, colleagues, and loved ones of Mr. Ganyo, describing him as a dedicated officer who died in the line of duty while protecting Ghana’s natural heritage.

The commission has vowed to pursue the case to its logical conclusion.