Inhabitants of Awutu Loyi in the Awutu Senya district of the Central Region have called on authorities there to help deal with Fulani herdsmen who have besieged the area with their cattle.

According to them, the pastoralists often set the animals to graze on their farms, resulting in the destruction of crops, a situation they said was creating tensions in the area and threatening the livelihoods of inhabitants and food security of the community.

Some of the residents who spoke to Accra News said they had lost most of their crops after their fields were invaded by cattle herded by the Fulani and any attempts to ward of the animals were met with resistance by the club- and machete-wielding Fulani.

They further accused the cattle herders of sexually abusing local women.

Corroborating the claims on Accra News on Tuesday March 21, the chief of the area, Nana Buartey James, said the presence of large herds of cattle and depredation of farms was “unprecedented” in the area, adding that he had in one night lost his entire field of yams after the Fulani went in with the ruminants, while other food crop farmers had been similarly hit.

Nana Buartey said many of the farmers took out loans to crop their lands and would likely not be able to pay back the amount should the destruction of the farms continue, warning that residents of Awutu Loyi will “advise ourselves” if no action was taken to halt the activities of Fulani and their cattle. The Odikro said he and his subjects were ready to do whatever was possible to ensure the menace posed by the nomadic herdsmen and their cattle in other parts of the country was not visited on their community.

“Government should talk to the Fulani herdsmen so they stop coming here [with their cattle] because we desire peace. If our call is not heeded and there is conflict we will face the Fulani,” he promised.