The Wildlife Division of the Ghana Forestry Commission in the Upper East Region is insisting that it has deployed four field rangers to assist farmers and residents along the Eastern Corridor against elephants’ invasion in the Nabdam area.
The Regional Manager of the Division, Joseph Binlinla made this known on A1 Radio’s Day Break Upper East Show on the back of calls by farmers and the Member of Parliament of the area, Dr Mark Kurt Nawaane.
The MP argued that the outfit, due to lack of staffing, has failed to protect farmers along the Eastern Corridor against wild animals’ invasion.
According to him, his outfit does not only deploy its members but also take time to sensitize farmers on how to handle and farm along such area where these animals roam.
“Just as we are talking this morning, we have deployed our team to the area; the entire stretch of the eastern corridor to announce to various farmers the best practices and how they can handle these animals when they do occur. Also, we are taking them through the dos and don’ts; they should know where and when not to farm on that stretch. These animals are part of God’s creation, you can not kill them, and that is their stretch so farmers should know where and where not to farm.”
Each year, farmers numbering up to 300 usually lose their crops to elephants due to a lack of Field Rangers to assist in controlling them against crop destruction.
But the Member of Parliament of the area, Dr Mark Kurt Nawaane still insisted that farmers including community members do not know such field rangers had been deployed to the area.
He further challenged him (Manager) to make a formal introduction of such field rangers to the chief and the District Assembly, “if indeed what he said was something to go by”.
“All that we want is the manager to introduce these field rangers to the chief of Sakoti or better still to the Assembly. We don’t have them in the area. Our cry is because we don’t want to experience similar destructions like the previous years. So, I challenge the manager to do the formal introduction of these his field rangers to either of them.”
He however vowed that he will follow the situation until successful results were chalked.
Source: A1radioonline.com|101.1 MHz|Moses Apiah|Bolgatanga|Ghana
