Help restore our citizenship – Fulanis appeal to Samira Bawumia

The Fulani Community in Kwahu Afram Plains area of the Eastern Region have appealed to the Second Lady Samira Bawumia to help resolve challenges surrounding their citizenship.

According to the leadership of the Fulanis, many of their members were denied registration for the Ghana Card as some political elements claimed they are not Ghanaians.

The concerns were raised when the Second Lady visited the Kwahu Afram Plains area as part of her five -day Campaign tour of the Eastern Region this week.

Chief Iddrisah Sambo the Fulani Chief in Donkorkrom in Afram Plains North District told Starr News “they say we are not Ghanaians so they didn’t allow many of us to register for the Ghana Card while many of those who registered had their cards withheld.

“But because they want our votes they came to us to register during the voters registration exercise but our major concern is our citizenship right. We were all born in Ghana .Our grandfathers lived in Ghana many many decades ago. So we want Samira who is one of us to help us secure our citizenship right .We petitioned her and many others during the exercise but nothing was done”.

He added “during 2016 elections we were told that Mrs. Samira Bawumia who is one of our own would help us if the NPP wins but nothing has changed for us. Challenges facing the Fulani Communities still exist”.

One other issue of concern tabled before the Second Lady was the annual killings of their cattle by Security Personnel.

According to the Chief Sambo, dozens of cattle are shot dead every year for allegedly destroying farms in the area

“They deploy security personnel to this area during dry season to kill our cattle .They shoot them by heart for allegedly destroying farms which are mostly not true. Even with this after killing the animals they transport them in a truck to unknown areas that the state is going to give to serve students in SHS which we find it strange.so we want this killings stop since it affects us financially”.

He also appealed that their children benefit from Scholarship schemes to proceed to Tertiary Education after secondary education.

“One other issue is that many of our children return to the bush after Senior high school due to lack of jobs. Also those who want to go to University and colleges are unable to do so due to financial challenges, so we want Her Excellency Samira to help us secure scholarship for our children to go to tertiary school”.