This document will among others come up with the best ways to end incessant clashes between peasant farmers and herdsmen.

[contextly_sidebar id=”nVZwWkAGiQHUbc5UlvHQV8m3oUKxMzic”]Speaking to Citi News, the Minister said if the document is generated and passed into law, the sporadic clashes would be curbed.

“The government has tasked about four ministries to produce a national cattle Ranching document that will be sent to parliament to be approved or pushed into a law such that whoever rears cattle in Ghana, would have to abide by that document, but that has not come out yet” he said.

The conflict between herdsmen and peasant farmers in some parts of the country in the past, has led to the loss of lives, property and farm produce.

In recent times, nine persons have died from such clashes at Dwerebeafe, Aboyan and Mpeamu in the Kwahu East District of the Eastern Region.

Eric Kwakye Darfour has asked local authorities in the region to come out with by-laws for the time being that will help minimize clashes between crop farmers and herdsmen.

“In the meantime, I have asked my MMDCEs to also come out with bylaws, bring it to the state attorney, they will look into it, if it doesn’t infringe on our national constitution, they will send it back to the assembly members who will adopt them and they will become a working document that will be used to regulate cattle rearing in various jurisdictions, otherwise we do not have specific laws which will readily come into place to regulate” he said

He said cattle rearing has become a crucial part of Ghana’s agriculture economy hence the need to regulate and sanitize the sector.

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By: Farida Yusif/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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Briefing the media after a stakeholders’ meeting with the chiefs, cattle owners and the nomadic herdsmen at Kwahu Mpraeso to find lasting solutions to the clashes, the Minister asked the teachers to return to post.

“There is apparent peace there even though the whole area has been abandoned, the security men are patrolling the area and from the interactions that we have had, we believe strongly that schools can commence their normal activities. I have instructed the District Education Director to inform all the teachers in the enclave to come back.”

“When we got there, you saw that the kids were willing and ready to go back to school, but the teachers are not available because of these attacks.”

The Minister also assured the residents of their safety as he considers measures to add more security personnel.

“We are monitoring the security situation so the personnel here will be on duty for some time and I am calling on more men to be deployed there as reinforcement. The schools are located at vantage points, but the communities have been scattered all over and the kids are not having access to the schools, so I am thinking that more police officers should be deployed to the other areas and provide protection for the schools and even accompany the kids.”

Eric Kwakye Darfour, who also doubles as the Member of Parliament for Nkawkaw, assured the people of government’s commitment to address the issues between the locals and the herdsmen.

“Government will not massage issues but will deal with the issues, 10 people are already dead, so this is not the time to massage issues. The herdsmen together with their leaders are here, and they all want to corporate to bring an end to the impasse.”

The Minister then warned of strict sanctions against herdsmen who do not conform to measures that will be agreed on.

“If they do not comply or conform there will be a policy or law that will compel them to do so, but am sure they do not want us to get to that extent because those who do not conform will be forced to do so.”

On his part, the Education Director of Kwahu East District, Kwasi Boafo, said the ministers assurance of the safety of the teachers will be conveyed.

“This issue has really affected education here because we need a stable environment to enhance teaching and learning. The teachers have taken cover for the fear of being caught up in the attacks, but once the Eastern Regional Minister has given the assurance that the place is now safe, I will take his word.”

He then called for a more sustainable effort to ensure the safety of residents.

“This is not the first time we have had instances like these, some few months ago schools were closed down in this same area, we came and talked about it and this is where we are now, no action was taken and the effects have escalated. Residents are afraid so we should find a more sustainable way of beefing up security to ensure the safety of residents to get back to their normal daily activities.”

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By: Neil Nii Amatey Kanarku/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post E/R: Minister urges teachers to return to school after clashes appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

He wants assembly members at the local level, to consider enacting by-laws which would be a guide to cattle rearing in communities.

According to him, such by-laws when adhered to, will go a long way to avert further clashes between nomadic Fulani herdsmen and community members.

He made the remark following reprisal attacks between herdsmen and some community members at Dwibease and Wheewhee in the Kwahu East District of the Eastern Region, which has left to the death of people.

[contextly_sidebar id=”NamiYFPpdrXb066cb32cvUJ2gfZ8F5pn”]Hundreds of residents have also fled to nearby villages to stay with family and friends, for fear of being caught up in the attacks.

Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Monday, the Minister, said there is the need to change the method of cattle rearing in Ghana.

“Cattle rearing has now become a big business in Ghana, and all manner of people are all getting into it. Chiefs, assembly men and others, are all gettin into the trade in Ghana. On several occasions in Ghana, some governments have tried to use the radical way – Operation cow leg, one, two or three – how many times didn’t we have Operation cow leg? In Kufuor’s time it was there as well as Atta Mills’ time.”

“I as a person, until about 1970, I hadn’t even seen a cattle before. But now cattle are everywhere, even if you come to the environs of RCC, you will see cattle. So the method we are using to breed and rear cattle in this country is primitive, and we need to change, otherwise we will continue to have these altercations,” he added.

This is not the first time such clashes have occurred in the country.

Agogo in the Ashanti Region was in the news within the first and second quarter of 2016, after they claimed that the Fulani herdsmen had destroyed their farms and killed some of their relatives.

They subsequently placed a ban on political activities to compel government to drive away the herdsmen from the area.

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By: Naa Kwaamah Siaw-Marfo/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The Minister believes that lack of sex education on the part of Ghanaians is a contributing factor to unwanted pregnancies.

[contextly_sidebar id=”1TunKFfSewJKi61qA8K6A8wlrzZKVD7e”]In an interview with Citi News at the regional celebration of this year’s 2017 World Population Day held in Koforidua under the theme Mr. Darfour said he is of the view that parents taking the initiative to discuss sex education with their kids will help reduce high rate of teenage pregnancies being recorded in the country.

“Parents should encourage their children to undertake family planning methods because in times past it was almost uncomfortable for a teenager or a young lady to walk to a family planning centre and say she wants to have family planning or she wants to be advised as to how she can avoid an unwanted or impromptu pregnancy although she may not be in a relationship.”

Income should determine family size

Adding his voice to the recent debate on family planning and the country’s growing Population, Mr. Darfour said the salaries of parents should determine the size of their family.

“Personally I think this issue should be discussed by families, because of improvement in education, knowledge and science people are becoming increasingly aware and being conscious of their family sizes so people should reflect especially young couples should look at their economic situation and income or how much they are earning monthly or yearly and justify it with how they want to live life, that is the reasonable way to go.”

“I have three kids who have all completed their university education and I have been able to cater for them very well because I wanted to have three children and I did that with ease so I believe that is the reasonable way.”

The Minister thus advised opinion leaders to start education on ways to reduce the high population growth in the country.

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By: Neil Nii Amatey Kanarku/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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He said “the university is a very good initiative that will benefit people of the Eastern region and other regions in the country as students residing in other regions will also apply for admission to be enrolled in the university. I therefore pledge to ensure its speedy completion and full enrollment in no time because education is very dear to my heart.”

[contextly_sidebar id=”LeDQX1DD3G6IzZvV6bmKUOXn44qYAFCB”]The Minister made this statement in his first meeting with the staff of the Eastern Regional Coordinating Council in Koforidua.

Eric Kwakye Darfour called for unflinching support from the staff to make sure that programs and policies of the central government are implemented successfully.

The Eastern Regional Minister told the workers to make sure that their partisan affiliation does not affect their work.”

“I admit we cannot all belong to the same political party; but for the sake of the development of our country and the Eastern Region let us put aside our differences and work towards a common goal.”

For his part, the Chief Director of the Regional Coordinating Council, Mr. Randolph Korzie Sambo, assured the minister of the staff’s support to deliver on his mandate and to realize his vision for the region.

He said ” I assure you that we will work tirelessly in unity to help contribute our quota to bring development to the Eastern Region and the country as a whole”

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By: Neil Nii Amatey Kanarku/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post I’ll ensure speedy completion of Eastern university – Minister appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

“The ADR mechanism is a reliable partner to the traditional justice system and must therefore be embraced and nurtured for an efficient justice delivery system,”he said.

Mr Justice Gyamfi-Danquah made the suggestion in Tamale on Monday during a media briefing and the launch of the ADR week in Tamale aimed at sensitizing the public on the importance of resorting to ADR as alternative tool to settle some cases.

He said since the establishment of the ADR in 2001, a lot of cases had been settled successfully through mediation and this saved time and cost to the parties involved as well as reducing litigation.

This year’s ADR is on the theme: “Court connected ADR, a tool for peace and stability” and was funded by DANIDA, which also aims at creating public awareness while some mediators, lawyers, judges and other court officials as well as stakeholders are also sensitized on the use of ADR.

Mr Justice Gyamfi-Danquah said the ADR programme had been extended to some 57 district and circuit courts and some 215 mediators had been trained and assigned to each of the courts.

He said the ADR had so far mediated 28,672 cases between 2008 and 2013 out of which 14,330 cases were settled, representing 50 per cent settlement rate.

Mr Justice Gyamfi-Acquah said the ADR concept had served as a complement to the traditional court system and made access to justice cheaper, easier, expeditious and non adversarial which also avoids the winner takes all situation.

“With ADR relationships are maintained and where it is successful, parties usually shake hands with the mediators,” he said adding, “The parties themselves come to appreciate the processes involved and find that it teaches them new ways to deal with future disputes”.

Source: GNA

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