These aliens are alleged to be the brain behind major robberies, killings, indiscriminate raping of women and the burning of farms leading to considerable loss of farm produce stored in the farm houses and those yet to be harvested.
They are also believed to be engaged in the cutting down of economic trees in feeding their animals which is making the area more prone to desertification.
Residents on several occasions have engaged in confrontations with these herdsmen and raised concerns over their continuous stay in the district and have therefore called on the authorities to as a matter of urgency eject them or closely monitor their activities.
Many have blamed them for the poor harvest which had impacted negatively on the food security of the district regarded as one of the bread baskets of the region.
However, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for the East Gonja District, Alhassan Mumuni has vehemently declared that his administration could no longer condone the “unwarranted conduct” of the alien Fulanis whom he said had brought excessive fear and panic among the indigenes especially women and young girls.
The DCE hinted that he put the District Security Committee (DISEC) on high alert to look out for any Fulani herdsman who would cause or even attempt to cause security threats on the lives and properties of the residents.
Late last year and early this year, conflict nearly broke out between the residents of Salaga and the Fulanis, when a man was reportedly butchered by some alien Fulanis.
Hon Mumuni who issued a stern warning to the Fulani Herdsmen in the area to behave themselves or leave the district, bemoaned that the ill behaviour of the Fulanis was preventing most farmers from freely going about their farming activities, since they could not move individually or in isolation for fear of their lives.
According to the DCE, the entire livelihood of the people depend on very investment they had made in their farming business and could not therefore loose them to preventable bushfires emanating from the activities of these Fulani herdsmen and some hunters.
He disclosed that majority of the farmers who cultivated rice, maize, groundnut and yam in commercial quantities, took loans from the banks, credit unions and other institutions which they were supposed to repay in due cause.
Addressing the chief and people of Gidanturu, a farming community along the Salaga-Tamale road at an occasion to commission a GH¢28,000 new market to enhance business activities of the farmers and the community, Hon Mumuni disclosed that majority of the farmers usually store their produce in large quantities in the farm due to unavailability of transport to convey them to the market centres or to await good market prices, but most of these farmers he said loose their farms to bushfires every year and therefore blamed it on the Fulanis.
During harmattan seasons the Fulani Herdsmen in trying to get early germination of grass to feed their cattle always resort to the indiscriminate burning of every available land including farm lands. They sometimes also burn the bushes in search of glasscutter and rats without any cognizance to the end results of their actions.
Some of the herdsmen also set the fires for food preparation in the bush without taking time to quench them as they move along.
The DCE, who announced plans by the District Security Committee (DISEC) to closely monitor the activities of the Fulanis, said a stiffer punishment would visit any of them who would cause any devastating havoc in the district this year.
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