Bush fires are rampant during this season. Sometimes, stones knocking against each other cause the fire. Sometimes too, left over cigarettes disposed off indiscriminately can cause bush fires. But most bush fires are intentional. People do it to hunt game.

In Tamale, it’s mostly for rats. As long as there’s land overgrown with weeds, someone will set fire to it. Nobody seems to be complaining because it seems there’re no side effects. However, should we sit down as a nation and take stock; I believe we’ll be surprised at the real effects.

“It’s because we are on holidays and I don’t have a lot of work to do at home” was the response of one of the hunters. Another explained that he’s been left to fend for himself since he’s a male, so this is one of the ways he must survive. Yet another farmer interviewed said that apart from using the rats for meat, they sell them for cash. Meanwhile, most of these hunters, who are between the ages of 5 and 20 do not attend school or have any meaningful employment.

Though most people rear guinea fowls, chicken, goats, sheep and cattle at home, it was observed that they are reserved for special occasions like Eid’l Fetir and Damba Festivals and funerals. Also, some farmers sell their animals to raise money so they can hire tractors, buy fertiliser and other farming inputs; meaning no meat for their families. So for some of the youth, the Harmattan presents a golden opportunity for meat.

Thus more fire, more meat. This explains the seriousness and aggressiveness with which the youth pursue this “meat policy”. I don’t see it going away soon, unless civil society rises up to do something about it. I’ll also call on government to tackle youth idleness vis-à-vis education and employment.