Farmers appeal to Minister of Defence for assistance

Agona Kenyanko (C/R), May 6, GNA - Farmers at Kenyanko (Correct) in the Agona East District have appealed to the Minister of Defence and the Chief of Defence Staff to intervene as a matter of urgency and stop Warrant Officer Class II Kwesi Asare from killing their animals. They said WO II Asare is farming in the community but has been killing their animals under the pretext that they had been destroying his farm.

A spokesman for the town, Mr Kwame Essel, told reporters that on May 1, WO II Asare, who has a maize farm at the outskirts of Kenyanko, shot and killed two sheep around the farm. He said appeals to the soldier by the people to fence the farm to prevent livestock from entering had proved futile. Mr Essel said when the animals were killed the matter was reported to the chief of the town, Nana Kwesi Acquah, WO 11 Asare did not cooperate for an amicable settlement.

Mr Essel said the soldier killed a total of nine sheep and goats belonging to some farmers in the community last year. Mrs Hannah Awusi, a trader, told the GNA that the people, especially children and women, are living in fear due to WO 11 Asare's gun shots. WO II Asare, when contacted by the Ghana News Agency on telephone, confirmed that he has been shooting animals found destroying his farm. He said the rate at which sheep and goats were destroying his 40-acre maize plantation was appalling. WO 11 Asare said he had invested much labour and money into the farm and appealed to the people not to allow their animals to destroy it. He said the people had refused to abide by an agreement they had reached to open their animals around 1500 hours when his labourers would be around to prevent the animals from entering the farm. He promised to pay for the cost of the two animals he killed last Friday for peace and unity between him and the people.