Business News of Wednesday, 28 May 2014

Source: GNA

Fulani herdsmen destroy farms

A large number of cattle herded by Fulani shepherds have destroyed large hectares of agricultural produce including yam, maize, and vegetables in the Kwahu Afraim Plains North District.

This is affecting farming and food production in the district and chiefs, farmers and opinion leaders in the district have therefore called for assistance to control the destructive activities of the Fulani cattle.

The Chief of Amankwaakrom, Nana Kuntu Sakyi II who spoke at a meeting of the project management team of the Ghana News Agency (GNA) Media Auditing and Development Tracking team with heads of department, chiefs, assembly members and other opinion leaders at Donkorkrom, said the situation was serious.

He said the vulnerable nature of the district had made it possible for large numbers of cattle driven by Fulani herdsmen from Agogo in the Asanti Akyem North District to enter the district and to create havoc for crop farmers.

Nana Kuntu Sakyi appealed to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to find resources to complete the fodder banks for the cattle to be confined.

The Donkorkrom District Police Commander, Superintendent of Police Kwadwo Adu Baadu, said some of the Fulani herdsmen also engaged in armed robbery block some of the roads in the district and rob passengers in vehicles of their money and mobile phones.

He said robbers often escape to islands on the Volta Lake after their operation and therefore appealed for a patrol boat on the lake to help the police to deal with the suspected Fulani armed robbers.

The Deputy News Editor of the Ghana News Agency Mr Francis Ameyibor and the Project Manager explained that, the objective of the project was to use c developmental journalism to market the potential and challenges of the district to support the developmental efforts of people in the area.

He urged the people in the district to support the project to be successful to contribute towards promotion of transparency and accountability in governance of the district.