Widows in Anateem, a community in the Bolgatanga Municipality say they are unhappy with the decision of government to cut down shea trees on a vast stretch of land in the area for the construction of an airport but no work has been started on the airport several years after clearing away the shea trees.
Anateem is a community endowed with shea trees and well known for production of shea butter, a business which has engaged many residents who depend on it for their livelihood especially women.
Thousands of shea trees were thrashed over a decade ago on a land of about 120 meters width and 3.5 kilometres length to construct an airport that would meet international standards.
Leader of the Anateem Widows Group Rebecca Atornyege told a1radioonline.com the exercise has affected them negatively because they now have to walk deep into the bush over a long distance to have access to shea nuts for the production of shea butter.
“We were happy when they said they were coming to put up an airport here for us. Our chief and landowners gave out the land to the government. That land had a lot of shea trees and we used to get so much shea nut from there but all those shea trees were cleared and since then we haven’t seen any construction again,” Rebecca said.
According to her, shea butter production and basket weaving are the two main occupations for most women in the community especially widows who number over 70. The widows group in the community she indicated has taken special interest in the production of shea butter in order to enable them earn some money to pay for their children’s school fees and sustain their families.
“We know how to weave baskets but we are more into the production of shea butter. We were also taught how to prepare good shea butter by going through some training. For us the shea nut is our cocoa and you can see the trees all around. Because they destroyed the shea trees on that vast land, we now have to walk far and go deep into the bush to pick shea nuts and that is more dangerous and tedious. We are really not happy about that because we lost a lot.”
While bemoaning the unavailability of ready market for the shea butter they produce, the women say the business is still highly supportive of their livelihoods.
By: Azongo Albert | A1RADIOONLINE.com | GHANA
