RENEWED ANGER AGAINST FULANI HERDSMEN - AS FARMER'S TRACTOR IS SET ABLAZE (PAGE 3, JULY 9, 2011)

THERE is renewed anger among some local communities in the Northern Region against the Fulani herdsmen, who are operating in parts of the region.
This follows an incident in Libi in the East Gonja district on Wednesday night, where a tractor belonging to a commercial farmer, Alhaji Yakubu Botingnaa, was set ablaze. Two Fulani herdsmen have been accused of the act.
Already, there has been some tensed relationship between the local communities and the Fulani herdsmen, who they have accused of various crimes, ranging from rape to the destruction of farmlands.
The Fulanis could therefore suffer some reprisal attacks from the local population at some point, if the relationship continues to deteriorate.
Alhaji Botingnaa told newsmen in Tamale that his farm workers returned from the farm on Thursday morning only to show him pictures of the remnants of his burnt tractor.
“They had gone to the farm in the morning to continue ploughing, but returned that same morning to give me this bad news,” he said, adding “I am very shocked at this and I do not know which move to make next.”
The farm, located on a 50-acre piece of land in Libi in the East Gonja district, was still undergoing land preparation for the cultivation of rice and maize.
Unfortunately, the tractor that was being used was acquired in 2009 through high purchase from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) at a cost of GH¢24,000.
As per the agreement, Alhaji made an initial payment of GH¢12,000 and was paying the remaining balance in instalments over a three year period.
Following the incident, Alhaji expressed fears about a possible failure on his part to settle the rest of the balance, since the absence of the tractor would greatly affect his farming business.
“I am also thinking about how I can raise resources to rent the services of a tractor to complete the rest of the ploughing,” he said, adding that so far, only 20 acres of the 50-acre land had been ploughed.
Alhaji Botingna said he had sent some of his workers to the police station to report the incident and that he would also, formally, notify MoFA of the incident.
Two of Alhaji’s farm workers told the Daily Graphic that the tractor had developed a fault on Wednesday evening and so they parked it at the farm.
“When we went back the next, morning we found a burnt tractor and the community people pointed accusing fingers at two Fulanis.
“They said they saw the Fulanis moving towards the farm and were later spotted again moving away from the direction of the farm in a hasty manner, panting for breath,” one of the workers narrated.
He said the community folk later heard noise akin of a tyre blast from the direction of the farm and when they checked, it was the tractor that had been set ablaze.
“So they mobilised and stopped the fire, but it was too late since the fire had already caused much damage to the tractor,” he said.