Fulani herdsmen maroons Swala-Kalba - MP

Accra, July 13, GNA - The Member of Parliament for Swala Kalba, Mr Donald Darl Soditey, on Wednesday reported that, nomadic Fulani herdsmen were wrecking havoc on his constituents. "It is sad to note that apart from the appalling and destructive attitude of these herdsmen, they drive their animals to graze on farms, destroying crops and any farm structures and also steal cattle of locals."

The member, who was making a statement in parliament on the activities and effects of Fulani herdsmen in the north said, " these Fulani herdsmen pounce on defenceless and innocent women going about their farming business, rape and assault them." He said they destroy vegetation with the sheer size of their herds and deplete available water sources. "The sad aspect of the business of these wicked herdsmen is that, they sometimes kill their victims and those, who try to prevent their animals from grazing on their farms or prevent them from raping a woman in the bush."

According to him, a Ghana News Agency report published on 14 January 2004, confirmed that Fulani herdsmen connive with some opinion leaders in the operational areas to commit criminal offences. "My personal investigation on the matter has revealed that anytime the herdsmen are caught by the law, some local collaborators shamelessly and unpatriotically claim ownership of the animals." He called on government to save the poor farmers from the hands of the nomads. "I wonder what we, as a nation are doing to protect our farmers and women from rape and sometimes murder, inflicted by these Fulani herdsmen in this period of HIV/AIDS epidemic.