The Eastern Regional Security Council (REGSEC) is meeting today over widespread tension between farmers and herdsmen in parts of the region.
The Security meeting being chaired by the Eastern Regional Minister Seth Kwame Acheampong will among other things deliberate on strategies to tackle the annual security threat which resurfaces during the dry season.
Seth Kwame Acheampong has meanwhile pledged his Commitment to ensure that clashes are prevented in communities experiencing these tensions.
Meanwhile, the Abuakwa North Municipal Security Council (MUSEC) has commenced waging war against the invasion of over 5,000 cattle from Afram Plains to the Municipality.
The invasion of the cattle is already fueling tension in Akyem Kukurantumi and its environs as farmers have threatened a showdown with the herdsmen accused of destroying their farms and crops.
The affected farmers and residents of Akyem Kukurantumi were scheduled to embark on a demonstration last Friday but were called off after the Akyem Tafo District Police command said their men will not be available on the said day.
The farmers, therefore, organized a press conference on Friday, January 28, 2022, the convener of the concerned farmers of Akyem Kukurantumi Yaw Darko said the thousands of cattle from Afram Plains invaded the area a few weeks ago, however, have been causing massive destructions to farms and crops, creating fear and panic.
The farmers accused one Abusuapanyin Danso Yaw Missah of allegedly collecting money from the herdsmen to aid their relocation from Afram Plains to Kukurantumi.
The farmers warned they will be forced to take the laws into their hands to chase away the herdsmen and their cattle.
“These herdsmen are in five groups and they migrated from, Maame Krobo and Adawso all located Afram plains as I speak with you now, farmers farm produce are rotting, others are being destroyed by the cattle because about one week ago nobody has been able to step foot to the farms for the fear that these Fulani herdsmen may attack them in an attempt to stop their activities on our farms”.
Some smallholder women farmers said they were gripped with fear as the Fulani herdsmen have been threatening to sexually abuse them.
The herdsmen reportedly directed their cattle to chase some security personnel when they first attempted to interrogate them in the bush.
The situation has compelled the Abuakwa North Municipal Security Council (MUSEC) to trigger emergency security action dubbed “coded operation” on Friday, January 28, 2022, to flash out the cattle and the herdsmen.
The operation team made up of armed police, BNI, and farmers were led by the Municipal Chief Executive for Abuakwa North, Alhaji Babs Umar Bodinga.
He however said, the herdsmen fled their various camps with their cattle to unknown destination upon tip-off about the imminent operation but believe the arrest of one of the herdsmen will facilitate investigation into their illegal presence in the area”.
“You can see that the coded operation that we started yesterday is yielding result, we been able to arrest one of them, burnt their belongings, this is another camp and we are here to announce our presence to them since these are 36 young calf and we don’t have a place to confine them we will leave them here but later the real owners will come for them after hearing the arrest of one of their herdsmen,” he said.
He said MUSEC will not hesitate to call for reinforcement of the military if the need arises.
“The assembly will not relent on its guards but will fight and flush out the activities of the herdsmen within the municipality until they vacate the lands and if there is the need to call for reinforcement of military personnel from the region or national, the assembly is ready to take a full responsibility to protect the farmers”.
Source: Mybrytnewsroom.com/Obed Ansah
