‘Government Is Toying With Agogo-Fulani Clashes’ – Opanin Kojo Oduro

The chairman of the Agogoman Residents Association, Opanin Kojo Oduro, has accused government of being unwilling to address the cause of clashes between Fulani herdsmen and local farmers in communities around Agogo in the Asante Akyem District of the Ashanti region.

This followed the murder on Monday January 11, 2016, of a fetish priest, Okomfo Badu, on his farm, allegedly by some Fulani cattle herders.

Clashes between natives and the settler Fulani population have often led to bloodshed, rape and destruction of crops and property on either side. Soldiers have had to be stationed in the area to maintain peace.

According  Opanin Kojo Oduro,  the problem’s persistence in the area is an indication that the government is unwilling to bring resolution to the matter.

“We’ve done our best as a people to have the problem addressed. A lot of our own have been killed. We held a demonstration to bring attention to the matter, but the police shot and wounded 13 of us,” lamented the elder.

“When the matter went to court, the ruling went in our favour, but the Fulani continue to inhabit our town and destroy our farms and kill us. We’ve done our every bit, but the government is not helping us,” he complained.

Opanin Oduro accused the government of bringing in soldiers to protect the herdsmen at the expense of indigenes, saying the soldiers continue to disarm farmers, who protect themselves with guns yet allow the Fulani to keep their weapons.

He said most of the cattle herded by the Fulani around Agogo are owned by well-heeled persons, including government officials, hence the reluctance to bring down the axe on the Fulani.

“I know some government officials are involved that is why the Fulani are emboldened to commit such acts.”

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