Gbiligu (N/R), Aug. 19, GNA - Large tracts of cultivated fields at Gbiligu, near Walewale in the Northern Region were at the weekend destroyed by cattle herded by Fulani men.

The cattle walked through the farms, grazing and trampling upon the crops that included maize, rice, sorghum, cowpea and groundnuts. Speaking to the Ghana News Agency at his farm, Mr Yakubu Yidana of Gbiligu Ecological Farms said he spent four hours to trace the hoof prints from the destroyed crops to a herd of cattle herded by a Fulani man who denied knowledge of the destruction. Mr Yidana explained that apart from the Ecological Farms, the Gbiligu area was mainly used by non-resident farmers from neighboring communities, while the Fulani families were settled at Saabuga a community about two kilometers from Gbiligu. "Many more Fulani people have come to the area with their cattle and instead of sending the animals to the bush to graze they herd them into our farms and pretend that they do not see the destruction or that it was someone else's cattle. "This has been going on for the past three years and now they expect us to cultivate our farms so they can feed their animals on it," he said.

Mr Mbii Atugba, whose two hectare maize and cowpea farm was destroyed, said he had hired ten women to weed his farm but when they got there, the crops were all trampled on and lying on the ground. "I had to ask the women to go home because there was no farm to work on, all my energy and money I invested has gone wasted," he said. Mr Atugba with the help of other farmers, who had the previous day driven some cattle out of the farm, identified two Fulani herdsmen as owners of the cattle and sent them to the Chief's house for redress. Other farmers whose crops had also been destroyed were not around to comment at the time the farms were visited, however, those present appealed to the West Mamprusi District Assembly and the Chiefs to help solve the problem as the Fulani herdsmen were a threat to their livelihood.