Regional News of Wednesday, 27 July 2011

Source: GNA

Police Commander calls for concerted efforts to tackle Fulani menace

Koforidua, July 27, GNA - Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) K. Gyamera-Yeboah, Eastern Regional Police Commander, has called for collaborated efforts in tackling the Fulani situation in the area, which seemed to be getting out of hand.

He said the police alone could not fight the menace without the support of the communities in which the Fulani herdsmen operated, especially the chiefs, landowners and opinion leaders.

According to him, the Fulani situation had so many dimensions that the police needed effective and concerted efforts from all stakeholders in tackling the menace to ensure the safety of the people including the Fulani herdsmen themselves.

In an interview with Ghana News Agency in Koforidua, he stressed the need for integrated approach from all stakeholders for a successful resolve of the menace.

He mentioned a number of measures including the operation cow leg that had failed in containing the situation adding that because of the many dimensions of the situation, security measures alone could not solve it.

The Regional Commander mentioned some clauses such as the Free Movement within the Economic of West African States (ECOWAS) protocol and the support from some chiefs and landowners which was making it difficult for the situation to be tackled head-on.

He said there had been many unpleasant reported cases of criminal acts such as stealing, rape and even killing being perpetrated on poor farmers in the community by the Fulani herdsmen and stressed the need for collaboration.