General News of Monday, 5 February 2018

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Fulani Chief endorses government efforts to curb menace

Alhaji Osman Bin Ahmed, Head of the Fulani Community in the Ashanti Region play videoAlhaji Osman Bin Ahmed, Head of the Fulani Community in the Ashanti Region

Leadership of the Fulani Community has endorsed efforts by government and the various security agencies nationwide to deal with the Fulani menace which is causing tension and violence in some regions of the country.

In an interview with UTV at the sidelines of a program held by the Fulani community, Head of the Fulani Community in the Ashanti Region, Alhaji Osman Bin Ahmed though admitted the importance of cattle grazing to their business as livestock farmers, criticized the methods being adopted by some herdsmen to feed their cattle.

According to him, abusing one’s rights by invading their lands and destroying their crops in a bid to improve their businesses is a complete crime which must be condemned and punished accordingly.

For him, therefore, government’s plans to resolve the issue is a step in the right direction.

“It’s not that government hates Fulani’s, it is how we are going about our business that they are condemning, it’s not right and we don’t want it. We want a new system in the country. We must speak the truth at all times and speak against the wrong thing at all times. My people sometimes don’t speak the truth. Herdsmen should be able to spend monies to acquire land for grazing for their livestock just as the farmers invest in their crops but for someone to invest time and resources into growing crops only for it to be destroyed by your cattle, that is absolutely wrong and I as their leader will not buy that idea,” he said.

Assistant Commissioner of Police, (ACP) Charles Domanban, who was also present at the event admonished Ghanaians to expose individuals involved in the crime of destroying vast farmlands of growers for grazing purposes.

“My appeal is that everyone who commits a crime, don’t hide the person, expose him so that it won’t be generalized that will effect,” he stated.



There have been recent clashes in certain parts of the country between Fulani Herdsmen and Farmers leading to several injuries and the loss of many lives.

As part of efforts to curb the canker, a taskforce, “Operation Cowleg” has been implored to certain parts of the country to control the situation. Meanwhile, deliberations are underway to find effective resolutions to the problem and restore calm to these affected areas.