Afram Plains South forms oversight committee to tackle problems posed by Fulani herdsmen
The Kwahu Afram Plains South District in the Eastern Region has formed a 10-member Farmers and Fulani Oversight Committee to tackle the challenges posed by the activities of Fulani herdsmen in the district.
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The oversight committee, chaired by the District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr Ibrahim Issakar, has a representative each from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, the police, farmers, Fulani herdsmen, the district assembly and the four stool managing lands in the assembly.
In addition to the committee, the DCE, in consultation with the district security committee, has grouped the district into six zones to assist the oversight committee with information on activities of the herdsmen in their respective zones.
Briefing the Daily Graphic at Tease in the Kwahu Afram Plains South District, the Assistant Director of Administration, Mr Eugene Kob, added that the district had officially registered 89 local cattle owners and 68 Fulani herdsmen.
Nomadic herdsmen
He said it had been established that the herdsmen causing confusion and disturbances were the nomads, explaining that the registered herdsmen had specific zones of operation, as well as colour tags for easy identification.
“So, those that do not belong to any zone are easily identified and are driven out of the district. That was actually what the Operation Cow-leg came to do and it was very successful,” Mr Kob said.
Registered herdsmen
He explained that the herdsmen were prevented from moving out of their zones to another and were also forbidden from taking their cattle for grazing in the night.
“According to the terms of reference, the herdsmen were, among others, not to allow children below the age of 18 to take the cattle out for grazing,” he further said.
Fulani and Konkomba stand-off
Referring to the confrontation between a Konkomba man and a Fulani herdsman, which resulted in the killing of the Konkomba, Mr Kob said it was unfortunate that in spite of all the measures put in place that incident still occurred and that retaliation saw the killing of five Fulani herdsmen.
Mr Kob explained that the disturbances led to the deployment of more security personnel from the regional level and was happy that calm had been restored.
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