Cattle farmers in Accra have been cautioned not to allow their animals to roam the capital city. Those who fail to comply to the directive will face severe sanctions, the Director of Finance at the Accra metropolitan Assembly (AMA), Mr. Samuel Aryee, has warned.
He gave the warning on behalf of the Chief Executive, Mr. Alfred Oko Vanderpuije at the meeting with some cattle farmers within the metropolis yesterday. Mr. Aryee said farmers who failed to comply with the directive would be subjected to a fine or six months imprisonment.
He explained that there was a bye-law requiring farmers to acquire permit s from the assembly, to rear such animals outside a residential area in a well-confined place, and not allow them to roam about.
He explained that eh warning had come to check the practice of allowing cattle to graze or be reared at residential areas within the metropolis saying “the AMA would, henceforth, ensure that cattle farmers within the metropolis strictly abide by the bye-laws governing animal rearing.”
Mr. Aryee said the move was also part of measures to control the straying of cattle on ceremonial streets in Accra which causes a nuisance to both motorists and pedestrians.
According to him, the assembly, in collaboration with the School of Hygiene, was training more people to arrest cattle found roaming on streets.
Mr. Aryee advised the cattle farmers against immunizing animals without the knowledge of Public health officers in the assembly.
Dr. Kwadwo Obeng-Wiredu, Accra Metropolitan Veterinary Health Director of the Veterinary Service, disclosed that the assembly would embark on a mass vaccination exercise, from June to September this year, to control and eradicate diseases among the animals.
“Most cattle are infected with diseases in the rainy season which is why we would conduct the vaccination during that period,” he explained.
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