By: Michael Kofi Kenetey
The Chiefs, and people of Boti, Obusumasua, Opersika, Asiafo, Akorwu-Bana, and its adjourning communities in the Yilo Krobo Municipality of the Eastern Region have embarked on a protest to evacuate nomadic herdsmen destroying their crops, farmlands and only source of drinking water in the area.
The protest was organized after the herdsmen refusal to vacate the area after several summons, warnings and notices.
The opinion leaders together with the farmers proceeded to the farmlands to pursue and evacuate the herdsmen and their cattle from the area.
Boti, Kornya, Obusumasua, Opersika, Asiafo, Akorwu-Bana and Ponponse among others are some of the major farming communities in the Yilo Krobo Municipality of the Eastern Region. They produce crops such as yam, cassava, maize, cocoyam and vegetables.
Five months ago, GBC Sunrise FM reported that the chiefs, Assembly members, opinion leaders and the farmers in the area held a meeting to serve a warning to the herdsmen to evacuate the area because of destructions of their farm produce and the only source of drinking water which is River Ponpon by the cattle.
However, five months down the lane, the herdsmen have not paid heed to the warning but rather the number of the cattle kept multiplying from two hundred to over four hundred and fifty.
In order to put a stop to this issue after their call to the owners of the cattle for dialogue and reports to the Obawale and Asesewa District Police Stations have proved futile, they decided to embark on a protest to clear the herdsmen and their cattle from the area.
In an interview with GBC Sunrise FM, the Assembly Members of Boti and Akorwu-Bana Electoral Areas, Abraham Narh and Michael Ahusa Tetteh sound a warning to herdsmen to as a matter of urgency vacate the area before Monday.
The Chiefs of the various communities, Dademantse Stephen Osei and Daniel Amponsah Tetteh also reaffirmed the position taken by the assembly members.
Some of the farmers that the cattle have destroyed their crops noted that the issue has rendered poor due to the destruction of their farm produce by the cattle.
Speaking to one of the herdsmen, Larib Amadu, he noted that they will inform the owners of the cattle so they can move their cattle from the area for peace to reign.
During the climax of the protest to evacuate the cattle from the area, the Police Team from the Asesewa District Police Station, led by Detective Inspector, Richmond Agyemang arrived at the scene.
He noted that they received a call from the grounds concerning the protest and decided to rush to the grounds to ascertain the issue.
He however assured the opinion leaders and the farmers that things will be put in order to get rid of the cattle from the area.