Sunyani: Forestry commission arrest Fulani herdsmen for destroying reserve

Four Fulani herdsmen have been arrested, the Sunyani District Director of the forestry commission Mr. Francis Brobbey has hinted.

According to him, they were apprehended for illegally entering the forest with their cattle graze when his team embarked on an operation at some of the forest reserves in the Sunyani district. 

Mr. Francis Brobbey who confirmed the development to Soiree News indicated that the Sunyani district has seven forest reserves and five out of them have been invaded by the herders and have succeeded in destroying the forest and farmlands.

 The forest reserves comprise Tain I, Tain II, Yaya, Nsemere, Sawsaw, Amama, and Asukese. He explained, one of the Fulani was arrested at Tain I and has been arraigned before the court pending prosecution and two were caught at the saw forest reserve in Wenchi whilst one was also arrested in Berekum.

He said they have begun the process to arraign them before the court for the law to take its course. 

Mr. Brobbey noted that the government has invested millions of cedis into tree plantation in the country hence the Green Ghana Initiative but the activities of the Fulani herdsmen constitute a major drawback to the tree plantation development in the country are deterring foreign investors away. 
He warned the herdsmen to stop destroying the forest and farms as they will deal with anyone found in the forest. He called on stakeholders to do their quota to fight the herders to protect the forest reserves.