Forestry Commission honours ranger killed at Kakum National Park with memorial bust

​The Forestry Commission of Ghana (FC) has paid a solemn final tribute to the late Nana Richard Otwey, a Senior Ranger with the Kakum Conservation Area (KCA), who lost his life in the line of duty while protecting Ghana’s wildlife heritage.

​The burial and funeral rites, held in Abrafo-Odumase, brought together high-ranking officials, colleagues, and family members to honor a man remembered as a principled, courageous, and loyal guardian of the forest.

​Nana Otwey, 59, was fatally shot in the chest on Saturday, August 22, 2026, during a routine forest patrol and anti-poaching operation within the Kakum Conservation Area.

​Leading a team of four Wildlife Resource Guards on a three-day patrol near Briscoe 2 Camp, close to the Kruwa community, the team encountered two suspected poachers identified as John Mensah and Bukari Abudu, both residents of Assin Betwease in the Assin South District.

​While the patrol team successfully apprehended John Mensah, the second suspect, Bukari Abudu—who allegedly fired the fatal shot escaped into the forest and remains at large.

The Forestry Commission has announced a cash reward of GH¢50,000.00 for any credible information leading to the arrest and successful prosecution of Bukari Abudu.

​To ensure his ultimate sacrifice is never forgotten, the Forestry Commission unveiled a memorial bust in Nana Otwey’s honor directly in front of the Kakum National Park Administration Office.

​Unveiling the monument, FC Chief Executive Dr. Hugh C. A. Brown eulogized the fallen officer as a hero whose life was devoted entirely to protecting the nation’s natural environment.

His Wildlife Division colleagues rendered a traditional 21-gun salute during the ceremony.​Beyond his role as a wildlife conservationist, Nana Richard Otwey was also the Mmrantehene of Afeaso.

​His journey with the Wildlife Division began over three decades ago on October 1, 1989, when he joined as a Skilled Labourer.

Through decades of hard work, integrity, and devotion to conservation, he steadily rose through the ranks to become a Senior Ranger.

The funeral was attended by senior officials of the Forestry Commission, including Chief Executive Dr Hugh C. A. Brown, Acting Deputy Chief Executive Timothy A. Awontiirim, Board Members Mr Tetteh-Hevy Oman and Dr Abukari Nantgmah Attah, Forest Services Division Executive Director Dr Gordon Kofi Sarfo-Adu, and Wildlife Division Director of Operations Mr Richard Ofori-Amanfo.

​​Numerous functional heads, park managers, and field staff from across Ghana’s protected area network also joined the family to bid farewell to their colleague.

​The Kakum Conservation Area which encompasses both the Assin Atandanso Resource Reserve and the Kakum National Park remains one of Ghana’s primary ecological sanctuaries, renowned globally for its rich biodiversity and iconic canopy walkway.