Tamale, March 3, GNA - Ghana Network for Peace Building (GHANEP), has identified activities of Fulani herdsmen as the most serious security threat to Northern Region and Ghana in general.

Mr. Justin Bayor, National Coordinator of the group, who announced this in Tamale on Tuesday, called on government to ensure that the security agencies take urgent steps to deal with the situation. He was speaking at a press briefing as part of the group's quarterly Ghana Alert Programme, aimed at monitoring the security situation in the country.

Mr. Bayor said the rampant offences that the Fulani herdsmen committed included rape, armed robbery, theft and destruction of farms. He said radio discussions, especially phone-in programmes were at times inimical to peace saying, "Their pronouncements are often provocative and have the tendency to generate fear, panic and mob action". Mr. Bayor said some politicians meddled in land and chieftaincy disputes and criminal cases that could affect peace in the area. He said that social vices existed in the region and criminals could easily use the youth to facilitate their actions.

Mr. Bayor said the celebration of festivals and other ceremonies could be fertile grounds for conflicts adding that "We wish to bring these to the notice of the appropriate agencies for immediate action". GHANEP, a network of civil society organization, contributing to peace building and conflict management in the country, had interacted with personnel of security agencies in the region to discuss threats to peace and strategies to tackle the problem. 3 March 10

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