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This Fulani menace
spells more doom if not contained
By Dr. Michael J.K.
Bokor
Monday, February 11, 2016
Folks, we have said a lot already about the
threat posed to national security by the
activities of the Fulani nomadic herdsmen
that are being fiercely resisted by
Ghanaians in the affected areas all over the
country. Notably, the residents of the Agogo
area in the Ashanti Region have been in the
forefront, resisting these Fulani nomads and
indicating their resolve to do all they can
to secure their sources of livelihood that
are being destroyed by the cattle reared by
the Fulani nomads.
We have had too much already from that area
to know the depth of the anger against the
Fulanis and the explosive nature of whatever
their action begets as reaction from the
indigenes. We have also had assurances upon
assurances from the government, the
regional, and local authorities that the
problem would be solved expeditiously to
curtail any bloody development. So far,
nothing concrete has been achieved to allay
fears and doubts.
The problem is spreading really fast—indeed,
too fast for comfort—to other parts of the
country. We are now being told that the
natives of the Krobo area are also angry at
the Fulani nomads for herding their cattle
there to destroy crops. There are many other
parts of the country at risk from the
activities of these Fulanis (be it cattle
rearing or armed robbery).
In the Kintampo area too, that problem has
surfaced. Unlike what is happening in other
affected areas, those in Kintampo have gone
the extra mile by killing 80 herds of cattle
to prove to the Fulanis that their nuisance
won’t be tolerated at all. (See
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Tension-mounts-at-Kintampo-as-irate-youth-kill-80-cattle-414704).
Will there be a reprisal from the Fulanis?
What the enraged people of Kintampo have
done is likely to be emulated in other parts
of the country.
Folks, it is now clear that wherever the
Fulani nomads go, tension surfaces. While
they move their cattle about to graze
indiscriminately in the hope of reaping
benefits, they disregard the economic
activities and interests of the owners of
farms that nourish their cattle. No one will
tolerate this kind of callousness.
Primarily, farming is predominant in Ghana,
meaning that if the activities of the Fulani
nomads and their prized cattle endanger the
farms (and the main source of livelihood for
the impoverished Ghanaian farmers), they
won’t be tolerated. Not tolerating them
means a lot. What is emerging is terrible.
Clearly, economic interests clash here. Do
the Fulanis think that they can exploit the
resources of farms for their own benefits
while the victims of their cattle rearing go
about empty-handed? What is good for them in
their cattle-rearing occupation shouldn’t
supersede the benefits that the local
farmers get from their “vocation”. It is
matter of choice. Cattle rearing may be good
but is not the preference of all interested
in agriculture. That is why something has to
be done by the government to solve this
problem.
Just a niggling point here. At the National
Farmers’ Day celebration, which Fulani is
recognized and rewarded as an accomplished
cattle rearer? Over the years, awardees have
been Ghanaian farmers and fishermen. So,
where do the Fulani cattle rearers come in?
I don’t see it (even though beef from their
cattle could be available but not affordable
to all). The problem thickens as the
government snoops and cannot tackle it
head-on.
There are many ways to tackle this
challenge. First, the government must be
bold enough to begin an exercise to locate
the various groups of these Fulani herdsmen
and where they operate in the country.
Proper records have to be prepared and kept
on them for us to know who exactly they are
and where they operate. It shouldn’t be
difficult to know them and their areas of
operation so they can be monitored and
tracked. Is it possible to allocate specific
areas to them so they don’t just move about
the perimeters of the country at will? I
will come to this part later.
Second, the government must use the Ministry
of Agriculture to scrutinize the activities
of these Fulani nomads, even as the
national, regional, and local security
apparatuses are positioned to mount
surveillance on them.
Third, the government should devise plans to
curtail the indiscriminate grazing by the
cattle belonging to these Fulanis. Isn’t it
possible to confine them to “ranches” where
the cattle can be fed on hay grown and
served to them? In civilized societies, that
is what happens. I am by this opinion
suggesting that a drastic change be made to
confine the cattle and ranches created to
contain them for the better.
If grass (hay) eaten by the cattle can be
grown to sustain the industry, so must it
be. By going that way, a new meaning should
be given to cattle-rearing and opportunities
created for hay farming in the country. It
will be a viable avenue for employment.
Then, the Fulanis will also undergo a
drastic transformation from their nomadic
lifestyle to a more permanent one that will
make them more attractive and relevant to
the Ghanaian communities. They need to
change with the times.
More importantly, introducing innovative
ways of rearing cattle will also encourage
better management of health-related problems
(anthrax, particularly).
In putting forth our opinion, we acknowledge
the fact that cattle rearing is not
restricted to the Fulanis alone. Many people
in many parts of the country own herds of
cattle and ply their trade. They have been
doing so for years and are known to have
incurred the displeasure of people whose
property (mostly farms) have been destroyed
by their cattle. Interestingly, matters
don’t get out of hand as they are doing now
in the case of the Fulanis, apparently
because the local communities have ways of
dealing with breaches. I know of situations
when owners of cattle that cause havoc are
fined by the local chiefs and peace is
restored.
It is not so in the case of the Fulanis
because of their intransigence/belligerence
and bellicose posture. They are behaving as
if the owners of farms destroyed by their
cattle have no right to protect or as if
their economic interests mean nothing. It
shouldn’t be so. Such belligerence won’t
ensure peaceful co-existence. The question,
then, is: Why are the Fulani nomads acting
with so much impudence?
Some have suggested that they are doing so
because they have the backing of some
political authorities, chiefs in areas in
which they operate, or some faceless people
whose cattle they herd. That kind of backing
makes them feel that they are untouchable.
If it were so, it would be a grievous
mistake.
As has happened in Kintampo, we should be
poised for more action by embittered
residents against the Fulanis. We note that
the Fulanis have been rearing cattle in
Ghana since time out-of-mind. But why is it
that their activities are now endangering
everything, including their own lives? Are
they becoming too cocksure to go overboard?
Some have even questioned the nationality of
these Fulanis only to be told that they are
fit to be considered as Ghanaians. True or
not, should they trample on the economic
rights of fellow Ghanaians the way they are
moving their cattle about to do?
Folks, we can continue raising concerns; but
the solution to this problem lies with the
government. It must act decisively before
the situation worsens. Let the Fulanis rear
their cattle to profit from and allow the
owners of farmlands to enjoy what they do so
they can enjoy the fruit of their labour! No
crossing of boundaries here!!
From the lukewarm attitude that the
authorities have adopted so far, I am afraid
the problem will escalate and add to what is
already brewing to jeopardize national
security and stability. The hard fact is
that the Fulanis cannot be deported en mass
from Ghana, which accentuates the need for a
policy of containment to deal with them.
Containing them means establishing a
framework that will deal with the danger
that their economic activity poses and
blending such an activity with those by
other people for the good of the country and
its people. Not until they are contained,
the menace will persist. What more?
I shall return…
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to continue the conversation.
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