News
Pieli: Into the Wild, Why Traditional Hunting Still Thrives in Northern Ghana
At the break of dawn in the bushes of Tibornayiri a remote village just outside Tamale, a group of men, dressed in patched smocks with their trained dogs and armed with handmade guns and machetes, slip quietly into the savanna. Charms tied around their waists sway as they move. This is not a scene from a bygone era, it happens every dry season. The men are on pieli, a centuries old communal hunt deeply rooted in the culture of Northern Ghana.
For generations, pieli is seen beyond a quest for bushmeat, but rather a rite of passage, a survival strategy, and a spiritual exercise rolled into one. Elders speak of it as a dance between man and nature, a tradition carried out with reverence for the spirits of the land and the animals pursued.
Issifu Alhassan, a 58-year-old hunter from Savelugu, said “Pieli” is a Dagbani word from the Dagomba people in Northern Ghana that refers to a traditional communal hunting expedition. It is typically organised during the dry season and involves groups of men from a village or community coming together to hunt wild animals, not just for food, but also for spiritual, medicinal, and cultural purposes.
The practice often follows specific rituals and taboos, such as avoiding certain sacred areas or abstaining from hunting on specific days. Pieli is seen as both a practical means of survival and a symbolic act of unity, bravery, and ancestral connection.
He said, they don’t hunt just to fill their pots, but rather for rituals, to heal the sick, and to honour the ancestors.
According to him, the hunt, which peaks between November and March, is carefully timed, the dry season strips the bush bare, making tracking easier.
“Hunters often consult lunar calendars and village elders before setting out, where in many communities, certain days are off-limits, and some groves remain sacred no hunting allowed,” he added.
Mohammed Zakaria, another seasoned hunter in an interview said, not all animals are meant to be killed, explaining that pregnant ones, are left unhunt and as well they don’t hunt near shrines, which is our way of keeping balance.
He revealed that, in the Tamale markets, bush meat once shared within families has become a commodity, which has led to rise in demand, especially during festivals, wild rabbit, bush rat, and antelope fetch high prices.
Alhassan revealed an interesting happening saying, they don’t see animals like how they used to due to degradation.
We now travel farther, using more aggressive methods, which have left us to break old rules of hunting, he said.
To curb overhunting, Ghana’s Wildlife Division enforces a “Closed Season” from August to December, banning hunting nationwide, but in the rural north, enforcement is a challenge.
Many hunters feel misunderstood. “They ban us without offering alternatives,” Zakaria says. “This is our way of life. How do we stop?”
Some communities are taking matters into their own hands, mixing modern conservation with traditional wisdom. Others call for education instead of punishment.
Mr Abdul Rahman, a conservationist working with a local NGO said, hunters should be seen as partners, in order to achieve the goal of the wildlife authorities, saying the hunters know the bush better than anyone.
With the right support, they can help protect it, he added.
As the sun start settling lower revealing it beautiful silhouette, the hunters return from the bush in trucks full of hunters with their dogs, tired, quiet, and reverent.
Their catch is modest, a grasscutter, a hare, and a few guinea fowl. Not a bounty, but enough for supper.
For now, pieli endures, not just as a hunt, but as a bond between generations
By Geoffrey Buta
News
Richard Ahiagba calls for future review of alleged injustice against former Chief Justice Torkornoo
The Director of Communications for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Richard Ahiagba, has called on a future government to revisit what he described as the abuse of the rights of former Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo.
In a Facebook post following the decision of the ECOWAS Court of Justice to dismiss all claims filed by the former Chief Justice against the Republic of Ghana, Mr. Ahiagba described the ruling as “deeply disappointing” and said it should concern all Ghanaians who believe in the independence of the judiciary.
According to him, the ruling raises questions about the ability of regional judicial institutions to protect public officials from what he termed targeted persecution and also casts doubt on the health of Ghana’s democracy.
Mr. Ahiagba alleged that the process leading to the removal of Justice Torkornoo was unprecedented and hurried, and accused the government of publicly humiliating one of the country’s highest judicial officers.
He further claimed that constitutional safeguards meant to protect the independence of state institutions were disregarded.
He argued that the former Chief Justice’s removal has sent a worrying signal to judges and public officials that exercising independence could come with consequences.
The NPP Communications Director accused President John Mahama and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) of weakening state institutions and seeking to exert political control over the judiciary, which he said should operate independently of partisan influence.
Mr. Ahiagba described Justice Torkornoo’s attempt to defend her rights and office as a significant moment in Ghana’s democratic history and called on a future government to investigate and address what he considers an injustice against her.
He further urged Ghanaians, irrespective of their political affiliation, to speak against any actions that could undermine judicial independence, warning that a weakened judiciary poses a threat to every citizen.
Mr. Ahiagba called on supporters of democracy to channel their concerns into political action and work towards voting the NDC out of power in the 2028 general elections.
The ECOWAS Court of Justice recently dismissed all seven claims brought by former Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo against the Republic of Ghana, including her claim for damages, ruling that Ghana had not violated her rights under the African Charter as alleged.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The Member of Parliament for Gomoa Central, Kwame Asare Obeng, popularly known as A Plus, says the proposed Gomoa Eco Park in the Yenku Forest will become the biggest eco-tourism park in Africa and could rival the famous Kakum National Park.
Speaking in an interview with the ghanaiantimes.com.gh, the MP said the development would transform tourism in the Central Region and attract visitors from across the country and beyond.
He said the park would feature several attractions, including canopy walks, glass walkways, zip lines, hiking trails, quad biking and an increase in the forest’s animal population.
“We are going to do everything in that forest,” he said, adding that the project would make Gomoa a major tourism destination.
Mr. Obeng urged authorities at Kakum to invest more in their facilities and expand their offerings to remain competitive.
“If you are in Kakum, start looking for investment and start expanding and making it better because what we are going to do in the Yenku Forest, if you’re not careful, nobody will come to you,” he said.
The MP announced plans to introduce a hot air balloon attraction from Kenya during next year’s Easter celebrations in Gomoa.
According to him, the initiative forms part of a broader plan to turn the area into one of Ghana’s leading tourism destinations.
He further disclosed plans to build an artificial waterfall and dancing fountains that would be visible from the Lagos-Abidjan Highway at night.
Mr. Obeng expressed confidence that the tourism projects would be completed during the tenure of President John Dramani Mahama and would help position Ghana as Africa’s premier tourism destination.
He said the government and local authorities are committed to ensuring that the vision for Gomoa becomes a reality.
By: Jacob Aggrey
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