The Volta Regional Minister, Helen Adjoa Ntosoo has defended the decision by the security agencies to flush-out Fulani herdsmen from the country.
[contextly_sidebar id=”F7VcE6mvNypelcqERylSOEsrIV8ceCLC”]About a week ago, a joint Police-military exercise code named “operation cow-leg” began ejecting Fulani herdsmen from the Volta Region which has so far led to the departure of at least 50 Fulani herdsmen.
A similar exercise is underway in the Eastern, Ashanti and Northern Regions.
In an interview with Citi News, the Volta Regional Minister insisted not only are the Nomadic Fulani’s threatening the peace in the region, they also lack the requisite documentation to live in the country.
“You know that you cannot come into this country with the necessary and requisite documentation; you have to go through the proper process, acquire the necessary documents to be able to live in the country,” she argued.
She said her outfit observed that a lot of Fulani herdsmen were settling in the region which had become a great source of worry to the people in the region.
“We do not want them to settle in the region because in some of the areas, the farmers already have problems with those who have settled in the region for so many years,” the Minister said.
Madam Ntoso remarked that if the Fulani’s are forced out of Ghana, they have the choice of settling in Togo “and if Togo wants them to be there, fine!”
“Not quite long ago, we deported about 48 of them. You just don’t come in like that!” she fumed.
But the National President of the Fulani community in Ghana, Sheikh Mohammed Barry expressed shock at the manner in which his people were being forced out of the country.
“There are so many ways of treating such persons in a way that will ensure that you are not also contradicting the law of the country and the international law and agreement.”
According to him, the attempt to flush-out the herdsmen hovers in the face of protocols of the ECOWAS and the African Union (AU) to which Ghana is a signatory.
“Even yesterday, there was an agreement between Ghana, Burkina Faso and Togo that they are going to ensure the cross-border activities for persons and ghosts for total integration.”
“If that is the idea, how then that the following day, you are carrying this thing out that contradicts what the government is standing for and what the government is aspiring to achieve?” he asked.
He pointed out that Fulani’s have been living in Ghana for over 170 years “…and they are part and parcel of the communities.”
Meanwhile, security analyst, Dr. Kwesi Anning wants government to tread cautiously in its attempt to flush out the Fulani herdsmen.
He was of the view that there should be “some rules and regulations and whatever is done must be done in a humane manner so that we don’t generate contentions and problems with our neighbouring states.”
“If you see the net impact of this entire hullabaloo, the communal hatred and intimidation against them…there are a lot of insecurities among Ghanaian Fulani’s.”
By: Efua Idan Osam/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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