The National Council of Fulani Chiefs has reiterated its commitment to tackling the criminal activities of Fulani herdsmen who kill innocent Ghanaians.
Some Fulani herdsmen have destroyed properties and killed members of the country’s security agencies, thereby provoking anger among the citizenry.
This compelled government to launch ‘Operation Cow Leg’ to clamp down on their nefarious activities.
Speaking on behalf of the National Council of Fulani Chiefs at a meeting at the Flagstaff House on Wednesday, spokesman for the group, Iddrisu Mohammed Bingle, pledged to back government’s efforts at addressing the problems.
“The National Council of Fulani Chiefs in Ghana wishes to state categorically that we are saddened and are having sleepless nights about the loss of lives and properties in these areas. We do not support these blatant criminal activities.”
That, he said, was because “the reoccurrence of the conflict between nomadic herdsmen and crop farmers and other crimes that have been associated with Fulani and the Fulani ethnic grouping in the country have been giving us sleepless nights.”
“These activities have portrayed the Fulani in a very bad light, making it look like the Fulani community is in conflict with mother Ghana.”
He said “sometimes the media mentions the names of perpetrators of such crimes while those suspected to be Fulanis are mentioned by their tribe instead of their names.”
According to him, “There are cattle herders in Ashanti, Eastern, Volta, Brong Ahafo and Greater Accra Regions who are Ashantis, Akyems or Kwahus, Ewes, Bonos, Ahafos, and Gas, but when they commit criminal offences, the media reports refer to them as ‘Fulanis.”
The Council said that “crime should be treated as crime and not associated with any ethnic group since it smacks of discrimination.”
They pledged to hold talks with government and other stakeholders to find lasting solution to the problem.
“We will be more than ready for constructive dialogue to bring about peaceful coexistence and also ready to facilitate or work with national law enforcement agencies to investigate and bring to justice miscreants within our amidst,” Iddrisu Mohammed Bigles said on behalf of the Council.
In line with this, the National Council of Fulani Chiefs has declared its plans to set up a taskforce in the affected regions with the approval of government to help arrest and hand over all Fulani suspects to the security agencies.
President Akufo-Addo commended the Council for their resolve to tackling crime in the country.
He asked that some of the Council members be included in the taskforce set up by government to deal with the Fulani menace.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu, Presidential Correspondent