NTMT Director’s Aide Arrest Sparks Allegations of Police Complicity in Ghana’s Logging Cartel
Edem, an aide to the Director of Ghana’s National Timber Monitoring Team (NTMT), was arrested by Tepa Police in the Ashanti Region amid allegations of a setup by a Forestry Commission staff member with ties to logging cartels. The arrest follows intensified NTMT crackdowns on illegal logging, which has unsettled powerful interests in the sector. It was just last week the Sector Minister, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah set up the team and immediately, the Director, Alhaji Doku sent a team to the region and as well carry out arrests of any illegal logs found alongside.
It is alleged the police acted unprofessionally, releasing Edem’s picture despite no official record of any case with the District court which makes the police appear complicit, since the complainant, Robert Yeboah Ninson, a Range Manager took authority into his own hands to do as he wish, he is strongly believed to be compromised by the logging cartels. Often he deserts his post deliberately claiming to be sick this letting illegal timber on trucks pass by his checkpoint.
Mr Robert Yeboah Ninson who is also accused of taking bribes to allow illegal logs passage, was caught in a compromising position during an NTMT operation in July 2025. “He abandoned his post to sleep in a room with a woman,” and his action of a complaint against Edem is more of retaliatory.
The NTMT, launched January 12, 2026, aims to curb illegal logging.
Mr. Edem Koku has since been released by the Police and to be report on Wednesday, January 21, 2026. He did indicate that he will take appropriate actions both against Mr Ninson and the police for unprofessional conduct and unlawful detention among other things
