The Member of Parliament (MP) for Saw. la -Tuna-Kalba constituency in the Savannah Region, Hon.Andrew Dari Chiwitey has called for lasting solutions to the nomadic herdsmen menace in his constituency.
According to the lawmaker, the situation is worrying, given that it leads to deadly clashes and destruction of farms ploughed by farmers.
Communities such as Korle, Dandapere ,suuma,Wulaa and other farming communities in the Sawla -Tuna-Kalba district are in standoff with Nomadic herdsmen over destruction of large acres of farms creating fear of food insecurity.
Speaking on the development on the floor of Parliament House, the MP saddened by the situation, disclosed plans to hold stakeholder meeting with the security in the affected communities to salvage the problem.
The MP believes there should be establishment of a legal framework to regulate the activities of herdsmen and to protect the rights of farmers.
He further proposed the promotion of dialogue and conflict resolution mechanisms to foster peaceful coexistence between farmers and herdsmen.
Hon Andrew added the provision of support for alternative livelihoods for herdsmen, such as ranching, to reduce their reliance on open grazing.
According to him there’s the need to e explore avenue for dialogue on how land owners can effectively settle herdsmen, adding, “Lastly, as a country, we need to explore the benefits of ranching and adopt it to our benefit”.
He said the unhealthy relationship between farmers and herdsmen in the Area and beyond is a pressing issue that demands immediate stakeholder engagement.
“We must not turn a blind eye to the negative practices that have caused so much pain and suffering.
“It is our duty as representatives of the people to ensure that every citizen, regardless of their occupation or background, can live and work in peace; Let us act now, before it is too late, to restore harmony and prosperity to our communities”, he admonished.
Source:yagbonradioonline