THE KWAHU Traditional Council in the Eastern Region has expressed anger at the activities of Fulani herdsmen in the region, expressing their desire to drive them out of Kwahuland.
According to the chiefs, hordes of Fulani herdsmen from Asante Akyem – Agogo are trooping to the Kwahu lands, precisely in the Afram Plains and other areas such as; the Fanteakwa District through unapproved routes.
The chiefs in an emergency meeting on Monday, have taken decision to flush out all the Fulani’s herdsmen’s with their cattle before Easter since they had not given the Fulani herdsmen any land to settle on.
Nana Abankwa Ansong II, the Nkoguasoafo of the Pepease – Kwahu Traditional Stool, who confirmed the meeting to DAILY GUIDE asserts, “Our outfit has gathered that, the Fulanis were seen trooping into our lands with large herds of cattle but we wouldn’t allow them to settle here, and those here too are going’’.
According to Nana, the nomads who are moving with their cattle are already jostling for settlement in the traditional farming communities, resulting in the residents raising concerns over the development.
The Stool Chief of Pepease noted that, the police had previously launched ‘ Operation Cow Leg’ but no results came out of it, adding that, the presence of the Fulani herdsmen had led to an upsurge in armed robbery, destruction of crops, environmental degradation, rape and many other atrocities which are disturbing their peace.
The chief stressed that the Fulanis often carry offensive weapons to market places and drinking bars where they terrorise indigenes. He disclosed that the Fulanis had over the years killed over 18 Kwahu indigenes, attacked several others and stolen from their hosts at gunpoint.
The Kwahu Afram Plains North District Assembly last year formed a task force to register all Fulani cattle owners and their cattle to enable the Assembly collect taxes from them and also monitor their movements. It is estimated that about 300 Fulani herdsmen brought over 2000 cattle from Nigeria, Niger, Togo and Mali to settle on Kwahu lands.
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