The leadership of the Kwahu Cattle Rearers Association last week called on the Minister for Inner-City and Zongo Development over the crisis between Fulanis and the residents of Kwahu area in the Eastern Region.
In recent times there have been reports of Fulani men causing mayhem in the Kwahu area leading to the residents fleeing the area for fear of their lives.
But the leadership of the Fulani herdsmen are also singing a different song, claiming their stories have not been told in the area.
According to the leaders, the life of a Fulani man in the area is precarious as many of them are killed every day because of some little misunderstanding between them and the indigenes of the area.
They claimed that Fulanis in the area are murdered everyday on mere suspicions and on flimsy excuses.
They claimed that over the last couple of days children of Fulanis have been killed on daily basis all because they do not have anybody to tell their story.
They claimed that even though many of them are Ghanaians doing their lawful business in the Kwahu area, they are treated as if they were foreigners.
There are certain areas in the Kwahu area now that people wearing certain dresses cannot go because they will be killed and dumped in the bush.
The leaders of the association namely Adam Yussif, Secretary of the association, Mohammed Ashiaman, a cattle rearer, Alhaji Umar Atiku, Local Fulani leader, Ahaji Jatey Osman, cattle owner and Abdul Aziz Dantaui, a youth Chief stormed the minister’s office in Accra.
Adam Yussif said Fulanis in the Kwahu have been stereotyped and are maimed everyday without anybody speaking for them.
According to him, when crimes are committed against Fulanis no action is taken against the perpetrators in the area.
‘Murders are being committed in the area but the Police seems not care about the crimes because it against Fulanis.
He narrated that in certain instances where the culprits of these heinous crimes against Fulanis are arrested, less than two days they are released by some chiefs and opinion leaders in the area.
‘Minister I may look Fulani but I was born and bred in here and vote like anybody in the country as well as pay my taxes he explained.
Why should I be discriminated against before the law because of the tribe I belong to or the texture of my hair?
He said what is happening is the Kwahu area must not be taken likely as some politicians are stocking the fire for a show down between the locals and the nomadic herdsmen.
As we are speaking there are some internal barriers mounted by some youth in the area who are determining the movement of Fulanis in the area.
If you are a Fulani doing your lawful business and not cattle rustling they determine your movement from one place to other in the full glare of the police in the area he narrated.
He said Fulanis who are engaged in farming activities have had their farm produce seized by the said young men in the area.
The Minister, Alhaji Abu-bakar Saddique Boniface on his part assured the leadership that he will table their concerns with the National Security Coordinator, the Inspector General of Police and the Minister of Interior for some action to be taken.
He reminded them to go back and table all their concerns in a petition to be submitted to Parliament and copied all the relevant bodies for the matter to be addressed.
He called on them to ensure peace among themselves and avoid reprisal attacks in the area.
He appealed to them continue to calm their people down for the Ghana Police to deal with the issue.
He noted that it is about time Ghanaians come to realization that as there are Fulanis in Mali, Nigeria, Niger among others in the sub-region so are Fulanis in Ghana.
There are people of Fulani descent who are Ghanaians so, we cannot just get up one day and start telling them to go away’ he explained.