Tension in Juapong over destruction of farms by Fulani herdsmen

Tension is mounting between farmers and Fulani herdsmen in Juapong, the North Tongu District capital of the Volta Region.

The development, Today gathered, follows a move by the Fulani herdsmen to use their cattle to destroy several acres of farms in the area, a situation, which is amounting to food shortage in the area.

The disturbing trend, Today understands, has compelled some irate youth of Juapong traditional area to threaten to flush out Fulani herdsmen in the area.

The youth, who are members of ACORN Fan Club, issued the threats, following destructions to an agriculture project they have embarked upon by cattle belonging to some Fulani herdsmen in the area.

Several acres of corn and cassava farms belonging to the group have been destroyed by cattle belonging to the herdsmen whom they believed are coming from Agogo in the Ashanti Region.

Speaking in an interview with some journalists yesterday in Juapong, President of ACORN Fan Club, Wisdom Edem Sokro, stated that due to the huge unemployment in the area, the youth decided to come together and commence an agriculture project.

The project, according to him, is aimed at using proceeds that will be derived from the farms to help members to start some other businesses.

He wondered why such an investment should be allowed to go down the drain due to the lack of respect for law and order in the Juapong area by Fulani herdsmen.

According to him, several reports made to the police in Juapong have not yielded any positive response, leaving them with no choice than to tackle the issue by themselves.

“We have decided to flush out the herdsmen and their animals from Juapong area ourselves because the police had failed to act,” he stressed.

Mr. Sokro said leaders of his club can no longer guarantee the safety of Fulani herdsmen and their animals in the area since members of the club and other youth in the area are now fed up and armed to the teeth in defence of their properties.

Issues of Fulani herdsmen and their animals causing destruction to farms have been experienced in several parts of the country including Agogo and Adaklu, with Juapong being the latest casualty.

Several calls by chiefs and opinion leaders for the herdsmen to desist from taking animals close to people’s farms have all fallen on deaf ears.