One other officer has since been treated and discharged from the Agogo Presbyterian Hospital.

[contextly_sidebar id=”HRhsKdLYTdH4qR8bmfw23VVWLaQYfeZ4″]The four were part of a task-force set up to evict nomadic herdsmen in the area following recent clashes between locals and the herdsmen over the destruction of farm produce by the cattle.

Reports suggest that they were targeted and shot by an unknown person, while on their usual operation on Monday.

An Emergency and trauma Nurse at the Agogo Presbyterian Hospital told Citi News that, “the Commander, who sustained minor injury, has been attended to and discharged. He came for review today [Tuesday] and he is very strong. Three of them were moderately severe. We referred them yesterday [Monday] around 7:00pm. One military officer and two police personnel”

The Agogo District Police Commander, ASP Samuel Azagu, who confirmed the Monday shooting to Citi News explained that “as usual, they went to the bush on operations and an unknown assailant ambushed them and fired at the operation team.”

The Police have commenced their investigations into the matter but are yet to make any arrests.

Meanwhile, the Asante Akyem North District Security Council is scheduled to hold a meeting on the matter.

The Ashanti Regional Security Council is also expected to meet later today on the same matter.

Indigenes of Agogo and its environs in the Ashanti Region have for several years accused herdsmen of allowing their cattle to graze and destroy farmlands, which are their only source of livelihood.

The fracas between the two groups has resulted in violent clashes leading to the death and injury of some persons.

Various efforts by the government mostly carried out by the security agencies have failed to yield the desired results.

The government is hopeful that its recently launched joint police-military operation to address the matter will help resolve the situation completely.

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By: Hafiz Tijani/citifmonline.com./Ghana

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According to him, the current number of officers deployed to maintain law and order in the region is inadequate.

[contextly_sidebar id=”7mWN7qEye81MUiGBlMlBgP6pfrJf3Dbe”]Speaking on Eyewitness News on Thursday, Mr. Kwakye Darfour said there was the need for reinforced security presence to avert a possible recurrence of violent clashes between nomadic herdsmen and residents.

“Operation Cow leg which was instituted; Cow leg 1,2,3,4 what did it bring to us? We are saying that now, the 85 people [Police officers] on the ground, we believe that looking at the vastness of the area, it is not enough, so government should come in and help us raise the level of the operation,” he said.

8 persons including 5 Fulani herdsmen were killed in an attack, and counter attacks in separate incidents at Dwebease and Hweehwee in the Eastern Region.

The incident renewed discussions about the relationship between local residents and nomadic herdsmen in various parts of the country, including Yendi, where 3 people were killed last week in a Fulani-locals clash.

A Medical doctor at the Kwahu Government Hospital, Dr. Akoto Ampaw, recently lamented the number of gunshot cases and subsequent deaths the hospital has been attending to in recent times, following the recent clashes.

“The situation is very worrying because as medical practitioners we are called to attend to people who have been shot and sometimes people have been attacked with other implements. I can confirm that most of the bodies have been deposited at the hospital. Quite a number of them, I can recall just in the immediate past week, I have had the opportunity to attend to three gunshot injuries in the area,” he said in an interview on the Citi Breakfast Show.

Reports indicate that, some students in the Kwahu East Municipality had abandoned classes due to the unstable security situation as some residents have fled to other communities.

But the Regional Minister, Mr. Kwakye Darfour, believes that proposals for the reintroduction of ‘operation cow leg’ to address the situation, will succeed only when more security officers are deployed to the trouble spots in the region to increase patrols and guarantee the safety of lives and property.

“There is some kind of urgency now, that is why we want to heighten it a bit, get more men, so we can do more patrols, otherwise we cannot predict when somebody would want to fight. The 85 men are not enough,” he said.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post More security officers needed to tackle nomadic herdsmen menace – Minister appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

About eight people lost their lives with several others sustaining injuries in separate reprisal attacks at Dwibease and Wheewhee communities about a fortnight ago.

[contextly_sidebar id=”xrcBznR7ej9FfmFyvXNWzImJu6xWwJiA”]Speaking on the Citi Breakfast show on Friday, Dr. Ampaw, who described the situation as very worrying, added that the doctors are usually recalled to the hospital even during their off-days to attend to such cases.

“The situation is very worrying because as medical practitioners we are called to attend to people who have been shot and sometimes people have been attacked with other implements. I can confirm that most of the bodies have been deposited at the hospital. Quite a number of them, I can recall just in the immediate past week, I have had the opportunity to attend to three gunshot injuries in the area.”

“When you see a gunshot injury, you have to be worried to find out whether it is from a miscreant or some other kind of persons. So when we verify that with the police, then we get to know that it is as a result of the clash that is happening in the area. I can remember attending to a local who was shot. Yesterday [Thursday], I even attended to a Fulani who was also shot.”

7 bodies deposited at morgue, more are Fulanis

He said in the recent incidents, most of the casualties reported at the hospital are mostly the Fulanis, adding that, seven bodies have so far been deposited at the Kwahu Government Hospital’s morgue.

“With regards to the bodies, I think the bigger casualty is from the Fulani side. I can count without any contradiction at least seven bodies that have been deposited in our morgue; and if you see the extent of injury that has been done to the body, even for myself as a medical officer, it is very worrying,” Dr. Ampaw added.

Reason for clash

The Eastern Regional Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Ebenezer Tetteh, in a Citi News interview said some have blamed the reprisal attacks on alleged destruction of farmlands by the cattle belonging to the Fulani herdsmen.

“Reasons for the killings are yet to be known, but with the history between Fulani and residents in Kwahu, it can be linked to the destruction of farmlands by cattle.”

Scores flee communities

In a related development, there are reports that some residents have fled the communities because of the attacks.

E/Region: Operation cow leg returning to fight Fulani menace

Meanwhile, the Eastern Regional Security Council is considering a revival of ‘Operation Cow Leg’ to address conflicts between mostly local farmers and nomadic Fulani herdsmen.

As part of the operation, Police and Military will be deployed to patrol the Kwahu enclave to avert clashes.

This approach to fighting the menace in the era of then President Kufuor, has been criticized as not being effective.

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By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

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As part of the operation, Police and Military will be deployed to patrol the Kwahu enclave to avert clashes.

This approach to fighting the menace in the era of then President Kufuor, has been criticized as not being effective.

But speaking at a press conference to address the recent clashes between Fulani herdsmen and farmers at Dwebease and Hweehwee which led to the death of 5 Fulani’s and 3 locals, the Eastern Regional Minister, Eric Kwakye Darfour, stated that a number of action plans have been adopted by REGSEC for consideration.

The Minister, who is automatically the Head of the Eastern Regional Security Council, expressed concern about the recent happenings in the Kwahu East District, saying, “I must say we are not happy at all with these reprisal attacks which has led to the loss of lives. Every individual in this country’s matters, and as such we will ensure that the right things are done.”

“On the whole, the killings in Kwahu East were unfortunate, but the security will work around the clock to stem the situation in the area.”

The resolutions reached at the REGSEC meeting are as follows:

1. Hold a press briefing to inform all about the current state of affairs in Kwahu East, and also allay the fears of the inhabitants in the area that the security in the region is handling the issue to ensure their safety.

2. Members of the REGSEC will also visit the affected areas in Kwahu East on Monday 6th November, 2017. As part of the visit, another meeting with the Fulani leadership in Kwahu, Chiefs, Farmers and other stakeholders will be held to further discuss the issue.

3. A proposal for addressing the Fulani menace submitted to REGSEC by the Kwahu Hene will be looked into.

4. Operation Cow leg to the Rescue – Council is of the opinion that if funds could be made available for the Operation CowLeg just as it’s being done for Operation Vanguard, a lot could be achieved. REGSEC will propose it to National security for consideration.

5. REGSEC considering the need to revive the the fodder bank system and possibly propose to government to create a fodder bank around the Dwerebease enclave.

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

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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

The post Cattle rearing methods must change to avert Fulani clashes – Minister appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Child Migration, Child Marriage and Defilement, are  other pressing child protection issues  peculiar to the communities in the region, a baseline study by the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) has revealed.

The baseline study showed that there were 162 cases of child prostitution recorded,  followed by child migration which registered 150 cases, while child marriages stood at 74, with 54 defilement  cases.

The study which comprised  selected communities in the Wa Municipality and the Wa East District,  showed that 92 per cent of the respondents confirmed their knowledge about the institutions available for community base child protection,  while eight per cent said they were not aware of any institution.

Some challenges, such as,  lack of capacity in dealing with cases,  and lack of interest,  were issues that the community base child protection institutions were facing, as most victims or parents were not willing to report such violence on their children.

Some respondents urged the child protection institutions to improve capacity-building, provide funds, educate and discourage demand for money from victims in reporting cases, as measures to overcome the challenges.

Other respondents also said they were only aware of state institutions, such as the Police and the clinics that sometimes assist victims in their communities.

The study showed that the challenges that made state institutions not to function properly, were lack of personnel, funds, logistics and corruption.

The solutions that were given to the challenges associated with state institutions were, to improve on capacity-building, discourage corruption, educate people and also  provide logistics for institutions dealing with child protection issues.

The study urged health service, criminal justice system, the media and non-governmental organisations, to let child protection issues be their responsibility in the region.

Source: GNA

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