Open Letter to President Mills

Dear Mr. President,
I would like to congratulate you on your success at the NDC congress in Sunyani, BA.
One statement that I picked up from your speech was, “the essential and primary
responsibility of Government is to work to improve the WELFARE of the people." Also
at the UN recently, you told the World body that your Government is shifting
attention from National Security to Personal Security. Both statements were well
said.
MR President, I think that the areas of the country where the FULANIS are destroying
the livelihood of people, RAPING their wives, destroying water bodies people depend
on for drinking water, scaring people from going to their farms, KILLING and burning
people’s properties are part of Ghana. I don't have to tell you that the victims are
Ghanaians and law abiding foreigners that need to be protected under the laws of
Ghana.
Last year, a large group of youth from Agogo in the Ashanti Akim North District went
on a peaceful demonstration against the Paramount Chief of the town, Nana Akuoko
Sarpong, who had taken bribes from the Fulanis and allowing them to occupy their
lands, raping their wives and preventing them from going to their farms. In the
event about 12 youth were shot by police.
Mr. President, I did not see the Government under your leadership taking a swift
action on this. This can never happen in the United States of America (USA) without
the Government taking a serious action on it. They value the life of each of their
citizens. These youth were helpless under the law with the police making their own
story. All calls for investigations fell on death ears. The youth had to find
financial help from sympathizers to pay their hospital bills.
Mr. President, I think the IGP should have been called to answer questions about
police training on handling demonstrations. Nobody knows what happened to the
policemen involved with the shooting.
Mr. President, there is one arm of Government called the Attorney General Department
that can prosecute the corrupt chiefs that live in the tents of bribery and
corruption and nobody has control over. These types of chiefs have brought shame to
the chieftaincy institution in Ghana. The prosecution of these chiefs, on behalf of
the public, will send a warning to other chiefs in the Country that the law of the
land will catch up with them if they continue to live in the tents of bribery and
corruption.
Mr. President, it is only in Ghana that foreigners are treated better than the
Nationals. Let Ghanaian travelers tell you what they go through if they don't abide
by the laws of that Country. I don't have to tell you that the Fulanis are not
Ghanaians and the Ecowas protocol does not give the Fulanis the right to commit
crimes. And for them to live in Ghana lawlessly because they know some BIG PEOPLE is
wrong and turns my stomach. They roam about carrying heavy weapons with impunity.
Where is you Interior Ministry on this issue?
Mr. President, the Fulani issue must be treated as a National Issue and dealt with
once and for all. I read that the Fulanis burnt down a Tractor belonging to an
Alhaji in the Northern Region of Ghana for talking against the destruction of his
farm by the Fulanis. A passenger from a Taxi cab was killed by a cow on the
instructions of the Fulanis in the Begoro area in the Eastern Region. At least 8
people have been killed and several injured by the Fulanis in the Kwahu Afram Plains
in the Eastern Region. Reports of arm robberies linked to the Fulanis in the Volta
Region and atrocities in the Brong Ahafo Region.
Mr. President, who should take care of this Fulani problem? The people of Ghana need
answers from you. You cannot look the other way when the people are looking up to
you to act the same you acted when you were accused of setting aside $90 million for
your nomination process.
Mr. President, under your leadership, a committee was set up to investigate the
Agogo incident last year. To date a white paper has not been issued from you office
on the report. When is this going to be done so the Security Agents can do what they
have to do to resolve this Fulani issue?
Mr. President, I see Alhaji Gruzah as the Commander in Chief when he declared War on
the people of Agogo on October 4th 2011 and nothing was said to him. He said he will
die with his cattle in Agogo instead of moving them from Agogo. How can one person
take the lives of a community into his own hands and nothing is done to him. Is he
above the law because he is a "BIG MAM"? Leadership is needed here.
Mr. President, if Ghana is working to achieve the middle class status, then there is
a lot of work to be done in all sectors of the Economy including Agriculture. Free
grazing of cattle destroying farms should be a thing of the past. I expect you to
instruct the Ministry of Agriculture to inform the owners of the cattle that free
grazing is against the laid down regulations of Ghana as stated by the National
Security Chief of Ghana recently.
Mr. President, I don't need to tell you that there is no welfare system in Ghana to
assist the poor. Farming is one way of people helping themselves and supporting the
Economy. Ghanaian Farmers work hard to survive in Ghana and they cannot be left
helpless by their Government because some BIG PEOPLE in the country have decided to
do what they want. Who should be responsible for the financial loss to the farmers
in Agogo, the Alhaji in the North, the Kwahu Afram plains and people from other
parts of the Country?
Mr. President, RAPE is a serious crime no matter which part of the world it happens.
These Fulanis rape women and walk free in Ghana under your watch. What kind of
Criminal Code do we have in Ghana? Please stand up against abuses, oppression and
denial of our basic fundamental rights as citizens of Ghana. Currently a hard
working farmer with 11 (eleven) children has been shot and killed in Agogo a few
days after he has had it with the Fulanis when their cattle destroyed a part of his
farm. How sad can this be?
Mr. President Ghanaians need action from you on this Fulani issue.
God bless Ghanamman.
Emmanuel Kofi Adu-Boahen B.Pharm (hons.)
Registered Pharmacist.
New York.
kofiboahen18@yahoo.com