Intense surveillance in Ashanti Region for washed-ashore fishes

The Food and Drugs Authority(FDA) in Ashanti Region says it is exploring more ways to prevent the smuggling of fishes washed ashore along some coastal areas of the country from entering markets within the region and outside the middle belt.

A spokesperson for the Authority in the Region, Daniel Gerraldo says drastic measures such as checkpoints at all major entry points into the Ashanti Region as well as thorough market searches are explored to ensure consumer safety.

More than 60 dolphins and other species of fish have washed ashore the coasts of Axim-Bewire in the Western Region, Osu in the Greater Accra Region and Keta in the Volta Region.

Experts are yet to ascertain the actual cause and the general public have been advised to avoid eating such fishes for fears of possible health problems.

But speaking on Akoma FM‘s morning show GhanAkoma on Tuesday, April 6, the FDA assured residents in the Region of constant joint patrols with allied agencies to flush out smugglers who have ill-intentions to sell the fishes in the Ashanti Region.

Mr Geraldo told the host of the show Aduanaba Kofi Asante Ennin that “we are not relenting on our major focus to ensure consumers’ safety, so as this issue comes up, we will activate our task force to strike out such bad fishes from our markets”.

He further added that “the move is to, first of all, avoid the fishes from entering the Region so we will increase our roadblocks and patrols on major roads especially routes that joins Ashanti with other regions which have been flagged as epicentres”, he added.

He further advised the public to be vigilant especially when buying fishes from the market as he also urged for prompt reports of suspected fishes with a strong scent and extraordinary sizes.