Seizure of game (bush meat) sparks tension as chop bar operators face wildlife regulations from the Forestry Commission.

Chop bar operators expressed frustration as wildlife officers seized a variety of bush meat during a joint operation by the Wildlife Division and the Rapid Response Team of the Forestry Commission (FC) across the Greater Accra and Central Regions. Porcupines, royal antelopes, pangolins and bongo were among the games confiscated, found either on display in markets, for sale by roadside vendors, or in chop bars—some preserved in fridges, and others simmering in pots at locations such as Adabraka, Agbogbloshie, and East Legon in Accra, as well as Winneba and Assin Fosu in the Central Region.

This three-day operation, conducted from October 22 to 25, was part of the Commission’s efforts to enforce the closed season on wildlife to protect endangered species and allow natural regeneration. Ms. Ernestina Adumea Anie, Public Relations Officer for the Wildlife Division, briefed the Ghanaian Times in Accra on Friday. She shared that some poachers who attempted to obstruct the team’s work were detained.

During the operation, wildlife meat was seized from traders who were caught in the act of selling it. “Other managers in protected areas are monitoring various districts and regions,” Ms. Anie explained.

The traders were educated on the restrictions, and Ms. Anie noted that although arresting the offenders would have been appropriate, the decision was made to focus on education since it was their first offense. “The most appropriate action would have been to arrest the perpetrators, but it was decided that, since they were first-timers, education and awareness creation were necessary,” she added.

Ms. Anie also stated that similar operations would be conducted in other regions to enforce compliance with wildlife regulations. She urged those in the bush meat trade to refrain from hunting or selling wildlife during the closed season.

The annual closed season, running from August 1 to December 1, requires that hunters, traders, and chop bar operators obtain a license to operate legally. Violators are subject to fines or imprisonment. The only animal permitted for hunting during this period is the grass cutter, and only with a license.