Driver granted bail for rearing and keeping cattle in his dwelling premises

Haruna Abdul Mohayimin, a driver has been granted bail to a sum of GH¢10,000 with a surety by the Hohoe Magistrate Court for rearing and keeping cattle in his dwelling premises.

The Court also deferred the sentence of the convict to March 14, 2024, after he pleaded guilty to the charge.

The act of rearing animals on premises endangers the health of the public and is contrary to Section 54 (a) (i) of the Public Health Act, 2012, Act 851.

Prosecutor, Frank Azila-Gbettor, told the Court presided over by John Evans Ocran, that the convict lived in Zongo (Chief Imam’s premises) and reared cattle in his father’s premises at Gbi-Bla (Picnic), where his mother and other siblings resided.

He said on November 7, 2023, a team of Environmental Health Officers on their routine house-to-house inspection, entered the convict’s premises and detected the convict was rearing some cattle and sheep in his father’s premises under insanitary conditions.

He noted that the act might endanger the health of the occupants and the public inhabiting the neighbourhood.

Azila-Gbettor said the officers reported the nuisance created by the convict to the Municipal Environmental Health Officer, who then invited him to the office for education.

He said the convict was educated and ordered to relocate his animals to a convenient place within 14 days dated November 13 to 24, 2023.

Azila-Gbettor said after the deadline, efforts made by the officers for the convict to relocate the animals fell on deaf ears.

He said on January 17, 2024, the Environmental Health officers made a follow-up visit and realised the nuisance was still in existence.

Azila-Gbettor said the officers visited the premises again on February 13, 2024, but the nuisance condition of the animals remained the same.

He said the rearing of cattle in dwelling premises exposed the public to zoonotic diseases such as tuberculosis, anthrax, contagious bovine, and pleural pneumonia.

Azila-Gbettor said the cow dung and the accompanying breeding of houseflies was also another major nuisance in human habitations.

The Court ordered the convict to stop rearing the animals and relocate them from the premises, and liaise with the Environmental Health officers for a convenient place, which must be inspected by the officers to determine its suitability.

The convict is to carry out the order before reappearing in Court on the adjourned date.