Agric. Director incurs wrath of Bole Chiefs after comments on cashew farming

The Bole Traditional Council under the leadership of of the Paramount Chief of the Bole Traditional Area, Bolewura Sarfo Kutuge Feso (I) says their attention has been drawn to comments made by the Agricultural Director for the Savannah Region Mr. Eric Samani Hudson in an interview on a Damongo based Radio station and see the said comments as “an affront to the Bole Traditional Council”.

Mr. Eric Samani Hudson is reported to have said; “The Bole traditional Authorities have restricted cashew farming to a maximum of 2 acres per farmer, a situation the director said is hampering the implementation of a government flagship program.

Mr Hudson “urged the traditional Authorities in Bole who he said were overwhelmed by the number of farmers who were going into cashew farming in the traditional area in the last two years due to the intervention to relax the restrictions placed to enable farmers to take full advantage of the policy”.

A response to this in a statement signed by the Bolewura, dated 10th May, 2020 and copied to the Savannah Regional Minister; the Savannah Region Agriculture Director; the District Chief Executives for Bole and Sawla- Tuna- Kalba Districts; the Agricultural Directors for Bole and Sawla- Tuna- Kalba Districts and the District Chief Farmers for Bole and Sawla-Tuna-Kalba Districts said the statement from the Savannah Region Agriculture Director is “not only baseless, unfortunate but also betrays the Director to be deskbound and not abreast with the facts on what took place”.

According to the statement, the Bole Traditional Council is surprised the comments are coming from an Agricultural Director for a Region who has so far not paid courtesies to the Bolewura’s Palace let alone discuss issues on Agriculture with the Bole Traditional Council especially on a decision taken by the Council.

“What the Regional Director should understand is that the land in the Bole Traditional area is the property of the Traditional Council and his attempt to drag the good name of the Bole Traditional Council into the mud is not only xenophobic but tribal.

“The Traditional Authorities have not placed any restriction on any genuine farmer and the land being the property of the Bole Traditional Council, we reserve the right to impose reasonable royalties on any farm produce. Any farmer therefore who is not prepared to accept our by-laws may advise himself or herself to vacate or quit our land”; the statement said.

“We are at a loss as to how a decision was taken at meeting with Chiefs, Queen Mothers, Cashew Farmers and the Agriculture Directors for Bole and Sawla District at the Bolewura’s Palace on 7th February, 2020 and 14th February, 2020 can hamper Agriculture three months later”; the statement added.

“The Bole Traditional Authorities do not discriminate against any settler or strangers who are land-hungry and have come to the Bole Traditional Area hunting for land.

“Our doors are open to any government official in the Bole Traditional Area and for that matter the Savannah Region who is interested in engaging on our decisions based on the Traditions of the land. We will however not countenance any comment that we deem an affront to the Traditions and security of the Skin Lands”; the statement explained.

The Bole Traditional Council in their statement further said; “All things being equal the Savannah Region Agriculture Director will soon move to the Bole District where the Savannah Region Agriculture office is located based on the government’s Policy to decentralize Departments of the Savannah Regional Coordinating Council. It is our wish to have a good working relationship with the Savannah Region Agriculture Director to improve Agriculture in the Region and this is the time to start building a good relationship between the Savannah Region Agriculture Department and the Bole Traditional Council”.

The Bole Chiefs explained that the Chieftaincy institution in the Bole Traditional Area is not only an integral part of the development of the area but has always played a key role in the Agriculture development of their people and will therefore not take any decision without a deep reflection on it.

“Finally we urge PAD FM at Damongo in accordance to broadcasting standards to always reach out to the Bolewura’s Palace on such delicate issues. We will take on any Radio station that tries to drag the traditions of the land into the mud and on this note, we commend the two Radio stations in Bole (Yagbon Radio and Nkilgi FM) for their professionalism since they always cross-check with the Bolewura’s Palace on Traditional decisions” the statement concluded.