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Regional News of Tuesday, 5 April 2005

Source: GNA

Bring cattle farmers to book - Government told

Gomoa-Panfokrom(C/R), April 5, GNA - Inhabitants of Gomoa Panfokrom in the Central Region have called on the Government to halt the activities of cattle farmers whose animals pollute River Ayensu, the main source of drinking water of people in and around Panfokrom. They noted that the farmers had to be stopped to avoid water-born diseases.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency in an interview at Gomoa-Panfokrom on the issue, Nana Panfo X, chief of the town said the livestock had been polluting the river upstream despite repeated warnings to their owners to stop the practice.

Nana Panfo alleged that cattle farmers in the area had threatened to fight the people if they attempted to prevent the animals from drinking from the river.

He further alleged that the livestock producers claim the land on which they had been raring the animals was given to them by his predecessor, Nana Panfo X and that he should stay clear from the issue. Nana Panfo said he had respect for the country's leadership and the constitution or else he would have mobilized his people to rid the area of the cattle farmers and their animals because they had no moral justification to indulge in an act that could cause havoc. He expressed the hope that the government would initiate measures to restrain the cattle farmers once and for all, from allowing their animals to pollute the Ayensu River.