Kojokperi, (UWR), May 16, GNA - Mr. Abu Kasanbata, Nadowli District Chief Executive has warned that people who hide under the cloak of political parties, to perpetuate criminal activities would face the full rigours of the law when they are caught. He alleged that some of these people are using their positions to condone with Fulani herdsmen to commit crime. Mr. Kasanbata gave the warning at a forum organised with community members and Fulani herdsmen at Kojokperi in the Upper West Region on Friday. The forum was a follow up of complains from members of the community about the havoc Fulani herdsmen and their cattle have been causing to the environment.

They claim that the herdsmen also rape women, engage in cattle rustling and destroy their food crops. Mr. Kasanbata said some people collect cattle rates from the herdsmen on behalf of the assembly and pocket the money. He blamed some chiefs and landlords for settling large numbers of herdsmen and their cattle in communities leading to the destruction of the vegetation and the livelihoods of the people. "The eastern corridor of the district is the food basket of the area and we must not allow herdsmen and their cattle to degrade the environment to deny us of food,", he said. The Nadowli District Police Commander, Mr. Emmanuel Quarshie, expressed regret about the way and manner the herdsmen were destroying the environment. He advised farmers to report to the Police anytime their farm produce were destroyed by cattle and stop seeking redress from chiefs and landlords who only fined the herdsmen a token as compensation for them. Mr. Bukari Seidu, a leader of the herdsmen gave the assurance that he and his colleagues would be law abiding and would also help expose all deviants among them. 16 May 10