The Minister of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Stephen Asamoah Boateng, has given the assurance that the government will institute measures to address issues of alleged marginalization of Fulanis in the country.
He said the unending cycle of violence and discrimination between Fulani communities and locals in the country was because most Ghanaians still regarded them as foreigners.
The Minister explained that Fulanis had lived in Ghana long before independence, had contributed to the economic progress of the country in many sectors and should, therefore, be treated as citizens.
He was speaking during an engagement with the National Council of Fulani Chiefs in Ghana in Accra. The chiefs met with the minister to present their concerns to him and to find ways to address them.
Some of the common issues that were raised were discrimination against Fulanis, media reportage on Fulani matters and how most of them were victimized when they tried to apply for national identification cards.
The Chieftaincy minister said the mentality about Fulanis being migrants needed to change. He, however, admitted that it would not happen overnight and that it would take a lot of sensitization and education to achieve that. Mr. Boateng thus urged the media, the church and state institutions to support the government in that regard.
The President of the National Council of Fulani Chiefs, Chief Alhaji Iddrisu Mohammed Bingles, commended the minister for engaging them to hear their concerns and assuring them to put up measures to address them.
Although the Fulanis have been living in Ghana for generations, they are still not accepted among local community groups and are thus excluded from certain areas of political life and services.
Despite the efforts by the Fulani to integrate, he said they were often reminded that they were strangers who did not belong to the community.
He expressed profound gratitude to the ministry for recognizing Fulanis and discussing the roadmap that will bring peace and unity among all parties.
By: Parlos Jenkins
Photo: AdomONLINE
