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Teachers, nurses flee community due to fear of Fulani herdsmen

By Heritage
General News Teachers, nurses flee community due to fear of Fulani herdsmen
JAN 27, 2015 LISTEN

Teachers and nurses at Awerebease, a farming community in the Kwahu East district of the Eastern Region are yet to return to the community following attacks on the community by Fulani herdsmen a week ago.

The Daily Heritage reported last week that, one person was allegedly shot fad by Fulani herdsman in the community bringing to four the number of farming killed by the herdsmen with three persons sustaining gunshot wounds.

The situation infuriated the farmers who attempted to launch attack on the Fulani herdsmen.

The Fulani herdsmen allegedly stormed the community with warning shots to de­ter farmers from their planned attack.

According to Dwerebease Krontihene, Nana Danso Agyei, the situation is worry­ing and is thus calling on the Eastern Regional Security Council (REGSEC) to act imme­diately to restore peace and tranquility in the community to allay the fears of the teachers and nurses who have run away from the community for fear of being at­tacked.

The Krontihene told the paper on Mon­day after a stakeholders' forum on Fulani issue organized by the REGSEC led by the Eastern regional minister, who doubles as chairman of REGSEC at Moraeso.

The forum aimed at finding lasting so­lutions to the insecurity and problems as­ as­sociated with the operations of the Fulani herdsmen in the community.

The forum was attended by the deputy Eastern regional minister, Mavis Ama Frimpong, ACPA Abass Abaah, District Chief Executives from Mpraeso, Kwahu East and West, Affram Plains South and North, as well as famers and leaders of Fulani Herdsmen in the affected communities.

Speaking at the forum, the Krontihene of Dwerebease cautioned that if the Police continue to remain unconcerned, farmers in the community will take the law into their own hands to deal with the Fulani herdsmen.

The angry farmers at the forum accused the local police of acting unprofessionally on cases reported to them.

The Eastern regional minister, Antwi Bosiako Sekyere assured that, a joint team of military and police force has been dis­patched to the affected communities to maintain law and order.

He said REGSEC will no more accept any unlawful acts by the Fulani herds­men, hence called on their leaders to warn the herdsmen to ensure that they operate within the jurisdiction created by gov­ernment for them.

The Ashanti Regional Security Council last week re-introduced 'Operation Cow Leg' in a renewed effort to evict Fulani herdsmen and their cattle from the Agogo area.

The new strategy follows persistent complaints by women farmers in the community who have resorted to hiring 'macho' men to accompany them to their farms for fear of being attacked by Fulani herdsmen.

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