Anyinofi (Ash), June 26, GNA - Prekesease, a farming community near Anyinofi in the Sekyere East District of the Ashanti region has been plunged into a state of fear as a result of the destructive activities of elephants in the area.

The animals are destroying farms and farm produce, causing poverty among the people.

Mr. Yaw Adumatta, a-49-year-old farmer who disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency at Prekesease appealed to government to help drive the elephants away to enable the farmers to continue with their farming activities.

Mr. Adumatta, who said he had engaged in farming in the area for the past 15 years said since early last year the elephants have destroyed 1,500 mounds of yam, hectares of maize, plantain, ground nuts and cassava. "The presence of the elephants is a burden on us since we fear to go to our farms and there is nothing we can do to drive the elephants away without the support of security agencies", he stressed. Mr. Adumatta said the District Assembly had been made aware of the situation but there had not been any positive response. When contacted, Mr. Philip Basoah, District Chief Executive, denied having received any information about the situation. Mr. Basoah said he and Mr. Yaw Baah, Member of Parliament for Kumawu had been in the area on several occasions following the recent torrential rainfall but had not heard from the people about the situation.

He, however, gave the assurance that the District Security Council would move to the area as soon as possible to ascertain the truth for the necessary measures to be taken.