MP urges gov't to disarm all Fulani herdsmen

Dadiease(E/R), Dec. 27, GNA - Mr Joe Kwasi Gidisu, Member of Parliament for Central Tongu Constituency in the Volta Region, has called on government to take immediate steps to disarm all Fulani Herdsmen in the country.

"I wish to appeal to the government to immediately move to disarm all the Fulanis operating in the country, they have very sophisticated weapons, and it is in the best interest of our people that these weapons are retrieved from these men", he said.

According to the MP, the activities of the Fulani herdsmen in communities they operate are dangerous and posses a security threat to the people in these areas.

Mr. Gidisu made the call when he briefed newsmen at Dadiease, in the Kwahu South District, of the Eastern Region, after visiting victims of the brutalities of the Fulani Herdsmen.

He was in the area on behalf of the Volta Region Parliamentary Caucus, to mourn with the bereaved family of one Mr.Yaotse Gli, a middle-aged man who was gunned down by the Fulani Herdsmen in the early hours of Saturday 23rd December.

The deceased, who was a fisherman, is a native of Tongu, in the Volta Region, but settled along the Afram River, in the Kwahu South District.

Mr Gidisu, who was accompanied by the MP for Nkwanta South Mr Gershon Gbediame told the media that the incident is not the first of its kind, and that it has been happening for sometime now.

He was not happy with the attitude of the local Police claiming they seem to favour the Fulanis anytime there is a conflict between the settlers and the Herdsmen.

Mr Gidisu, who is also the Minority Spokesperson on Education, lauded the Eastern Regional Police Commander for his support in conveying the corpse to the Atibie Hospital.

Mr Joseph Kofi Asante, assemblyman for Nkwantanai electoral area, told newsmen that when the incident occurred, he personally approached the Mpraeso Police Unit, who were on patrol operations in the area, but they ignored him, insisting they (Police), were on a different mission, and so could not attend to him.

The Mpraeso District Police Commander, D.S.P. Peter Kofi Addo confirmed the story, and promised to take drastic action against the officers who were in the area but failed to act.