Unhygienic slaughter joint poses threat to public health

People who patronize the services of slaughter boys at the Wa livestock market may be doing so at their own risk.

This is due to the unhygienic nature of the slaughter joint which is normally manned by young men aged 25 years and below.

These boys, who themselves are not well dressed, compete for animals people buy from the market to slaughter for them in the unhygienic surroundings at a fee.

They use worn out tyres to prepare the meat which could pose some health problems to consumers according to health experts.

When the Ghana News Agency (GNA) visited the place on Monday, the boys, who were busily going about their activities, declined to talk to the media upon the advice of elderly men around.

Mr Augustine Batung, Wa Municipal Environmental Health Officer, told the GNA that the matter had been brought to their attention but the boys had refused to heed to the several warnings by the unit.

He said the matter had now become serious, adding that a committee comprising officers from the Environmental Health Unit, the National Disaster Management Committee, the Ghana National Fire Service and Zoomlion had been set up to investigate the matter.

Mr Batung said the committee was yet to submit its report and recommendations based on which actions would be taken.

He assured the public that the matter would be addressed as soon as the committee submitted its recommendations.