We don't own cattle – Agogo chiefs

The Akyeamehene of the Agogo Traditional Council, Nana Boakye Yiadom, has refuted claims that some chiefs in the area own cattle, which makes it difficult for authorities to flush out nomadic Fulani herdsmen from the area.

The Fulani herders in the Asante Akyem North District of the Ashanti Region, according to the locals, have been terrorising their hosts. About 25 locals have allegedly been killed in various clashes with the Fulani. Eleven of those deaths were recorded in 2016.

The herders have been accused of several atrocities in the area, mainly destruction of property and farmlands belonging to indigenes, who are mostly farmers. The nomads have also been accused of robbery and rape.

The youth in the area issued a warning to them to leave the area with their cattle or face their wrath.

They have also accused the chiefs and some leaders in the area of owning herds of cattle and having intentionally dragged their feet in evicting the nomads, even though a court ruling directed that the herdsmen be vacated from the place.

But Nana Boakye Yiadom, in an interview on Asempa FM’s ‘Ekosii Sen’, a news analysis programme, told the host, Kwadwo Asare-Baffour Acheampong (KABA) on Wednesday 3 February that chiefs in the area have no ownership of any of the cattle found in the area.

“If we find any chief, we will deal with him according to the law. If we investigate and we find out that anyone, who accused the chiefs is lying and wants to tarnish the image of the chiefs, he will also be dealt with,” he stated.

Meanwhile the Ashanti Regional Security Council (REGSEC) has disclosed that military personnel and policemen from the capital will be dispatched to Agogo to drive out the nomads and their herds.

A total of 20 military officers and 40 policemen will help security officers already on the ground, to protect residents as authorities find solutions to the security problem.

The Ashanti Regional Minister, Peter Anarfi Mensah told the media on Wednesday that the authorities have devised short-, medium-, and long-term solutions to deal with the problem, but the immediate solution was the deployment of more security to the area.

“The immediate solution which starts from today is the sending of more security men. The main objective is for them to contain the nomadic Fulani and drive them away from that area and make sure that they maintain the peace,” Mr Mensah said.