The Bono Regional Security Council (REGSEC) has summoned a meeting with the Association of Fulani Community in the region, to discuss ways of finding lasting solutions to conflict between farming communities, mainly farmers, and nomadic cattle herders, in the region.
This follows recent disturbances in the Berekum Municipality over the destruction of farmlands by cattle in some communities within the municipality.
The affected communities include Kotaa, Namasua, Tewbabi and Abisaase, all within the Berekum Municipality.
The perennial conflict between farming communities and nomadic cattle herders has become a major security concern for the region, as it has often led to the destruction of lives and properties.
These herdsmen are alleged to usually allow their cattle to graze on the farms of affected communities and this often results heightened tension leading to clashes.
Speaking to the Ghanaian Times, here on Friday, the Bono Regional Minister, Joseph Addae-Akwaboa, called on all parties in the conflicts to exercise restraint.
He said REGSEC was committed to finding a lasting peace between the affected communities and cattle herders.
The Bono Regional Minister urged the members of the affected communities to exercise restraint in order not to escalate tension and breach the relative peace being enjoy in the region.
The affected communities are noted for the cultivation of crops including cashew, maize, yam and plantains among others.
The tension between the farmers and the herdsmen is rife in those communities.
Mr Kwabena Gyan, a farmer at Namasua, told The Ghanaian Times that the activities of the herdsmen were impacting negatively on his farming with several acreages of food crops being destroyed with impunity without anybody calling the herdsmen to order.
According to him, he lost ten bags of maize, which he had harvested, and five acres cassava farm last year
Mr Gyan also disclosed that farmers in Namasua and its environs have become hapless since the herdsmen go about their activities without control.
The cattle numbering about ten thousand, he alleged, belong to politicians, chiefs and businessmen, were having a field-day causing destruction to farms.
Mr Gyan said he was considering not to farm this year so as not to suffer similar fate.
FROM DANIEL DZIRASAH,
BEREKUM
