Ghanaians have been warned against the source and condition of meat they purchase, as contamination along the processing and supply chain remains a major public health concern.
At a seminar held yesterday to mark World Food Safety Day, experts maintained that the safety of meat can no longer be guaranteed unless it is sourced from certified facilities and has passed proper veterinary inspection.
They included Dr Francis Konadu-Ampratwum, lecturer at the School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ghana; Professor Joseph Atawalna, senior lecturer at the School of Veterinary Medicine, KNUST; and Nana Prempeh Aduhene, Executive Director in charge of Mediation and Arbitration at the Consumer Protection Agency (CPA).
Organised by the Veterinary Services Department (VSD) under the theme “Food Safety: Science in Action -the Situation of Meat Production from Slaughter Facilities in Ghana”, the seminar highlighted alarming issues in the country’s meat production system.
These include unhygienic slaughterhouses, lack of certified veterinary oversight, misuse of antibiotics and illegal slaughtering practices that often go unchecked.
In a remark, Dr Konadu-Ampratwum noted that gaps in regulation and enforcement placed a greater responsibility on consumers to ensure that the meat they buy was safe for consumption.
“If you’re buying meat and you don’t know the source, you could be unknowingly consuming chemicals which posed long-term health risks,” he warned.
“Consumers must begin to ask questions. The meat is only safe if you know where it was produced and how it was handled,” he said.
Dr Konadu-Ampratwum encouraged the public to look out for certified meat stamped by veterinary officers, indicating that it had been inspected and approved for consumption.
He also called for renewed efforts to enforce the Meat Inspection Regulation (L.I. 2405), passed in 2020 under the Public Health Act, 2012 (Act 851) to safeguard public health.
For his part, Professor Atawalna stressed the need for government to adequately resource the VSD to effectively discharge its duties and enhance food safety.
He highlighted challenges such as inadequate veterinary staff, logistical constraints, poorly maintained slaughter facilities, unregulated antibiotic use, weak data systems, and lack of enforcement at the local level as factors fuelling unsafe meat practices.
“There must be a coordinated effort to protect public health and restore consumer trust in Ghana’s meat industry and it must begin with full enforcement of existing laws,” he said.
Nana Prempeh Aduhene, the Executive Director of CPA proposed the introduction of a special tax to support the work of the VSD and improve food safety nationwide.
He also called for greater private sector involvement to expand infrastructure in the meat production sector and promote hygienic handling of meat across the country.
BY ABIGAIL ANNOH
