The Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation, under the auspices of the Congregation of the Sister Servants of the Holy Spirit (SSpS), the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) and VIVAT Ghana Group (A Catholic Advocacy Group) have organised an Interactive Session with the Fulani people from some of the communities in the Kwahu Afram Plains.
The Session is part of the effort of the Catholic Church to continue to raise awareness of Laudato Si, an encyclical written by Pope Francis to the entire world, addressing The Care for our Common Home – the Planet Earth”
Fulani people, as historians suggest, originally come from Northern Africa but with time, moved towards the Western part of Africa; into countries like Mali, Burkina Faso, Nigeria and Ghana.
The Session, which was organised to address issues that pertains environmental degradation, particularly bushfires, how animals (cows, sheep and goats) destroy people farms during grazing and felling of trees, saw about 150 Fulani people from both southern and northern part of the Afram Plains in attendance.
Mr. Bannerman, a Cattle Ranch Manager from Adeambra, took time to explain how cattle farmers could adapt to the new idea of cattle ranch farming, introduced by the government a couple of years ago.
He added that this would take away the tensions and conflicts that continuously looms around most communities between farmers. Mr. Bannerman emphasised that Cattle Ranch farming also has the potency to reduce drastically, bushfires which are harming the crops and the forest. He concluded that he is ready to help any community that is willing to learn how to use this method of farming.
The Fulani chief Sadique Iddrisa Sambo (aka Akokora) on behalf of his brothers and sisters thanked Mr. Bannerman and promised to encourage his people to embrace the new technique of animal farming.
He indulged the government, particularly Ghana Police Service to be circumspective about the way they were treated. Fulani youth and some elders also took turns to reiterate the same concerns. As at that time, there were speculations of ‘Fulanis and some Ghanaians’ who have been killed in the wake of conflicts a number of issues.
A large number of them alluded that they were born here in Ghana and therefore the treated minted out to them is dehumanizing. As one of the Fulani youth passionately pointed out, ‘we were born here, we are Ghanaians, we have nowhere to go and therefore we should be treated as fellow Ghanaians’
The Police Commander of Tease, Spt. David Azumah reacted that it was unfortunate some of these issues keep cropping up. He added that as much as some of their cry is genuine, he is also charging them to be law abiding. Majority of them take the law into their own hands to react to a lot of issues before it comes to the attention of the police.
He concluded that the Ghana Police Service doesn’t take sides when issues pop up. They look at the laws of the country to prosecute whoever is at fault.
The District Chief Executive of the Afram South (Tease), Mr. Evans Kyei Ntiri also took turn to address the above situation. He commended the Catholic Church for such an important forum, adding that he was unhappy to hear some of the grumblings of the Fulani people.
He said he’s been visiting some of them, helping them with land issues and above all supported them in their farms and farm related issues. He added that it is unfortunate sometimes he hears some of them are involved in lawless acts. He promised to do everything possible to resolve their concerns but also charged them to be law abiding citizens in their communities.
Very Rev. Fr. Bernard Appiah-Adjei, SVD, Cathedral Administrator of the Vicariate of Donkorkrom, who represented the Bishop, the Most Rev. John Alphorns Asiedu, SVD, related greetings from the Bishop.
He commended the Sister Servants of the Holy Spirit (SSpS) and the Society of the Divine Word for the continuous effort to educate and above all, raise awareness of the unsafe nature of how we are treating the environment entrusted to us by God. He encouraged other stakeholders to come on board, to safeguard our common Home – Planet Earth.
Fr. Appiah-Adjei, who is also the Afram Plains SVD District JPIC Coordinator, added that “we need to treat every human person with respect and dignity, whether the person is a Ghanaian or not.”
As much as most Ghanaians would blame some Fulani people for lawless behaviors and attitudes in the communities, some Ghanaians do not also treat Fulanis as human beings, who deserve love. There has been a number of speculations, where some Ghanaians commit unlawful acts and push them on Fulani people.
In attendance were: Rev. Sr. Vilma Espinosa, SSpS, Coordinator for JPIC /VIVAT-Ghana; Rev. Fr. Nicholas Aazine, SVD, Coordinator for JPIC/VIVAT-Ghana), elders and Chief of Tease Traditional Area, the President of the Local Council of Churches in Tease, Rev. Matthew Akakpo, who represented the Parish Priest of Tease Rev. Fr. Anthony Teye Binyemi and the Imam of Tease.
Sincere thanks to Rev. Bro. Charles Eshun, SVD, (SVD Ghana Provincial Counsellor in charge of JPIC/VIVAT), who chaired the function, Most Rev. Bishop Alphorns Asiedu, his support and encouragement, Sr. Mercy Benson, SSpS (SSpS Ghana Provincial Leader), Very Rev. Fr. Cyprian Kuupol, SVD (SVD Ghana Provincial Superior) and the Parish Priest of Tease for their encouragement and support.
JPIC/VIVAT-GHANA intends to follow up on the above discussions in the near future with activities that will entice cattle farmers into cattle ranch farming in the Afram Plains area. We are opened to organizations that share in our mission and ambition.
Fr. Nicholas Aazine, SVD and Sr. Vilma Espinosa, SSpS
JPIC/VIVAT Coordinators – Ghana (SVD-SSpS Collaborative Ministry)
Email: nicholasbetol@gmail.com
