Government moves to tackle problem with herdsmen – Akufo-Addo
Government has set up a cattle ranch in the Afram Plains in the Eastern Region to help deal with the Fulani herdsmen and cattle menace, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has announced.
He said other sites had been identified across the country to establish more ranches to bring cattle into safe, secure environment, to rein the perennial conflict between nomadic herdsmen and farming communities.
President Akufo-Addo broke the news at Adaklu on Tuesday when he cut the sod for the construction of a multi-purpose youth and sports resource centre on day two of his working visit to the Volta Region.
The move, he said, was in fulfilment of the pledge he made in the run-up to the 2016 election, to end the Fulani problem and stop the desecration of environment.
The President assured the chiefs and people of Adaklu that “we have begun the first one, and we will continue. I know one is scheduled to be set up for this area”.
Youth and Sports Minister, Isaac Asiamah, said the multi-purpose youth and sports centres of excellence were being built in all the 10 regions.
The deliberate provision of these facilities, he added, “has never happened before in this country”.
“It is a major intervention by the President in making sure that we have modern sporting facilities across the country.”
He said the 10,000-seating capacity Adaklu facility was not just a sports stadium – it was more than a sports stadium because of its additional facilities.
“When completed, it will have a FIFA-standard football pitch, a modern nine-lane athletic track, tennis courts, basketball, handball and volley ball courts, and a modern gymnasium.”
Added to these are a counselling centre, an ICT centre, an entrepreneurship centre and a modern restaurant.
The Minister gave the assurance that all 10 projects would be ready by April of 2019, after which the next phase of construction for 10 more youth and sports development centres would commence.
President Akufo-Addo said apart from his government’s determination to create opportunities for Ghanaian youth to find work, “they must have places of recreation and for developing their sporting prowess.
“This multi-purpose resource centre will respond to that need.”
Source: GNA