Minister visits conflict areas at Kwahu
The Kwahu Cattle Ranching Control Committee has registered 24,377 cattle in the Afram Plains portion of the Kwahu East District in the Eastern Region.
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The animals, owned by 225 people, had for some time now been a source of conflict between local inhabitants and Fulani herdsmen.
This came to light when members of the Regional Security Council (REGSEC), headed by the Regional Minister, Mr Eric Kwakye Darfour, visited some of the conflict areas last Monday.
So far, four fodder banks totalling 2,269 acres have been identified at Forifori, Wawase, Amankwaa and Memfankye.
Addressing the REGSEC members at Abene, the traditional capital of the Kwahu paramountcy, the Project Coordinator of the committee, Mr Baba Zeinu, said six additional fodder banks were needed in the area.
He said the cattle population was envisaged to increase, since some of them had not yet been registered due to fears being entertained by the nomadic Fulani herdsmen.
He, therefore, called on stakeholders to assist in educating the cattle owners and the herdsmen on the need to participate in the registration programme.
Regional Minister
Mr Darfour said the government had tasked the National Ranching Project Committee to come up with an acceptable policy that would help solve all contentious issues in the Afram Plains, particularly between the two feuding parties.
The National Ranching Committee project has representatives from the Ministries of Food and Agriculture, Interior, Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration and Inner City and Zongo Development and the National Security.
He asked people in the affected areas to remain calm and go about their normal activities as the police had intensified their patrol and appealed to those who had fled their communities to return home.
He gave an assurance that an additional police platoon would be sent to the area to provide adequate security.
School
The regional minister called for the reopening of all closed-down schools in the area following the bloody clashes between Fulani herdsmen and the local inhabitants, during which 10 persons lost their lives.
He said so far, calm had been restored and, therefore, teachers, pupils and students should go back to school while they found a lasting solution to the problem.
The Paramount Chief of the Kwahu Traditional Area, Dasebre Akuamoah Agyapong, called on the government to support the traditional council to relocate the Fulani herdsmen and their cattle.
Open forum
During an open forum, a number of inhabitants accused the police of allegedly taking sides by supporting the Fulani herdsmen when disputes arose.
They appealed to the government to assist in relocating the herds of cattle to the fodder bank area as part of efforts to resolve the issue permanently.
Background
Ten people were killed when Fulani herdsmen clashed with local inhabitants over grazing rights.
As a result of reprisal attacks, economic activities came to a standstill in communities in the Afram Plains portion of Kwahu East, including Mpaemu, Dwerebease, Derkokrom, Hweehwee, Atuokrom and Atta-ne-Atta.