The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has raised an alarm of ponmo now being dangerous for Nigerians to consume following the outbreak of Anthrax in some neighbouring countries within the West African sub-region.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has said it intercepted large quantities of dangerous animal hides and skins, popularly known as ponmo, from seven merchants in Lagos.
The Director-General of the agency, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, warned members of the public, particularly the consumers of ponmo, against the activities of some unscrupulous businessmen and traders, who were selling industrial animal hides as food items.
Adeyeye, in a statement by the Resident Media Consultant to the NAFDAC, Sayo Akintola, on Sunday, disclosed that the agency’s investigation and enforcement officials swiftly carried out intelligence gathering around certain locations, where the product was warehoused and being sold.
The statement read in part, “This was in response to the several complaints received from the public, pertaining to the alleged sale and distribution of imported hides and skins meant for use in leather industries and which had already been processed with industrial chemicals. These hides and skins were then sold to unsuspecting members of the public as consumable animal skin product, otherwise called ponmo.
Nigerians have been asked to desist from the consumption of hides (ponmo), smoked meat and bush meat as they pose serious risk until the situation is brought under control.
The anthrax outbreak was first recorded in northern Ghana bordering Burkina Faso and Togo putting the whole sub-region at risk.
“The disease which has claimed some lives, is a bacterial disease that affects both animals and man, that is a zoonotic disease. Anthrax spores are naturally found in the soil and commonly affect domestic and wild animals.
“People can get infected with Anthrax spores if they come in contact with infected animals or contaminated animal products. However, Anthrax is not a contagious disease and so, one cannot get it by coming in close contact with an infected person.“Signs of anthrax are flu- like symptoms such as cough, fever, muscle aches and if not diagnosed and treated early, lead to pneumonia, severe lung problems, difficulty in breathing, shock and death.”
Nigerians have also been warned against closeness to non-vaccinated animals with Anthrax as it can easily be transmitted to man through the inhalation of Anthrax spores including consumption of contaminated/Infected animal products, such as hides and skin, meat or milk.
“Monitoring was also extended to some buyers, who patronised the sellers and custodians of the warehouse.’’
Adeyeye said preliminary investigation revealed that some of the hides and skins were being imported illegally and diverted to some merchants, who re-process them and sell them as consumable ponmo to members of the public.
The statement added, “In the light of these discoveries, the DG said the agency recently conducted investigative raids on some identified locations in Lagos State, where market women and men were found clustered to purchase leftovers from the warehouses.
