The Forestry Commission has denied serious allegations made against its Acting Chief Executive, Dr. Hugh C.A. Brown, describing them as false, misleading, and calculated attempts to dent the image of both the individual and the institution.
The denial comes in response to a broadcast of “The Evidence” aired on Ohia TV Online on Thursday, July 10, 2025, during which Mr. Kwame Baffoe, popularly known as Abronye DC, accused Dr. Brown of falsifying official documents and selling off gazetted forest reserves for personal gain.
In a strongly worded rejoinder released on July 14, 2025, the Forestry Commission outlined the facts:
Clerical Error, Not Forgery
The letters Abronye cited, originally dated May 16, 2024, and June 11, 2024, were administrative communications that mistakenly bore the wrong year due to a clerical oversight. These were promptly corrected to reflect the accurate year – 2025 – and were duly archived both electronically and manually.
Legitimate Office, Legitimate Signature
Contrary to Abronye’s claim that Dr. Brown was not in office at the time, the Commission clarified that Dr. Hugh Brown was appointed Acting Chief Executive in January 2025 by President John Dramani Mahama, and all correspondences were signed within his legal mandate.
The Commission strongly dismissed allegations that Dr. Brown had sold the Jimira and Ofin Shelterbelt Forest Reserves, labeling the claim as “preposterous.” These reserves are gazetted and protected under national law, making them unsellable by any individual or authority.
Permits Issued in Accordance with Law
The amount of GHS 1,465,500.00 paid by FJ Minerals Ltd was for an official Mineral Mining Entry Permit, in line with the Fees and Charges Regulations, 2023 (L.I. 2481) – not proceeds from illegal land sales as alleged.
The Forestry Commission ended that the statements made by Mr. Kwame Baffoe were deliberately misleading and defamatory, designed to attack the personal and professional integrity of Dr. Brown.
“We call on Mr. Kwame Baffoe, a.k.a. Abronye, to withdraw all these false allegations and render an unqualified public apology to the Forestry Commission and its Acting Chief Executive,” the statement demanded.
