An association of Fulani groups within the Greater Accra Region, has appealed to President Akufo-Addo to intervene and bring an end to the hostilities going on currently between the residents of Agogo , in the Ashanti Region and the Fulani herdsmen of area.
Briefing pressmen in Accra on Friday, the President of the group, Professor Sheikh Osman Barry, believes the President well known for his stand for justice and human rights over the years, has what it takes to use highly respected office to quench the fire and bring peace and stability between the Fulani’s and the indigenes of Agogo and other parts of Ghana.
Professor Barry further seized the opportunity to appeal to the Commander –In-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces to ensure that compensations are duly paid to according to him the innocent victimized Fulani families, who have lost their cattle during the joint military –police operations.
According to him, the land attacks and air strikes jointly taken by the police and military from December last year to presently has resulted in the killing of over one Thousand Five cows estimated to be six Million Ghana Cedis, equivalent to One Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars.
The group leader also indicated that some assailants suspected to be from the surrounding communities took advantage of the chaotic situation created by the joint action to launch attacks on the Fulani’s resulting in killing and looting of properties belonging to the Fulani’s.
He also bemoaned the situation where on many occasions people suspected to be Fulani extraction were forced to alight from public transports in which they were traveling with and humiliated and dehumanized and sometimes killed for no reason.
Professor Barry also recounted a sad situation in which a number of Fulani’s who embarked on the Mecca pilgrimage were forced to surrender their genuine traveling documents to the authorities at Ghana’s ports of entries without any justification.
The Fulani’s are on many occasions either discriminated against , deprived of or driven away when they approach appropriate state authorities to obtain traveling or important state documents such as voters and national identifications, health insurance, passports amongst others.
He condemned such repeated atrocities and discriminations and pointed out that the Fulani’s who have been living in Ghana’s geographical location for over three hundred and forty years do not deserve such ill treatments from the people.
He disclosed that the Fulani’s have been peace loving and law abiding citizens who have played tremendous roles in the socio-economic advancement of Ghana.
He mentioned that areas such as Cowlane, Tudu, Adabraka, Nima, Mamobi, and Kanda amongst others in the Accra Metropolis were founded by the Fulani’s.
Professor Osman Barry, who is a former employee of the Organisation of African Unity [OAU] now the African Union [AU] admonished the Fulani’s nationwide to continue to be peace lovers and law abiding citizens.
The press conference organized by the Suudu Baaba Association of Ghana, brought together the academia, clergy, chiefs, health professionals, security personnel and students with Fulani roots on a single platform.
By Mohamamed Saani Ibrahim
Fulanis want president Akufo-Addo's intervention
