By Philip Tengzu, GNA
Wa, (UW/R), Nov. 20, GNA – Stakeholders at a National Conference on Donkey Welfare have called on the government to strictly enforce existing national and regional laws against the illicit donkey hide trade in Ghana to curb the menace and its threat to donkeys’ extinction.
They also appealed to Municipal and District Assemblies where Donkeys are dominant to enact bye-laws consistent with the national laws to sustain the fight against the menace within their localities.
Dr. Roger Adamu Luri Kanton, the Lead Advocate of the Fight Against Donkey Extinction (FADE) Ghana Project, made the call during the conference in Wa on the “Empowering Stakeholders and Communities for Sustainable Welfare of Donkeys to Support Women’s Livelihood in Upper West region, Ghana (ESWOD) Project”.
ActionAid Ghana (AAG) organised the conference in partnership with Action for Sustainable Development (ASUDEV) under the project being implemented in 24 communities, including Nanchalla, Challu and Chinchang in the Sissala East Municipality, funded by The Donkey Sanctuary in UK.
The Conference brought together traditional leaders, Heads of Departments, school children and donkey owners, among others, to deliberate on strategies to improve donkey welfare in Ghana.
Dr. Kanton indicated that despite legislation by the African Union (AU) banning the commercial slaughter and export of donkeys for their hides, weak enforcement continued to fuel the illegal trade.
“In fact, veterinary chief directors for all the ECOWAS member countries, in 2014, came out with a communique calling on their governments to ban the slaughter of donkeys for their hide.
So, it (the law) is already there, but it is the compliance and enforcement, because normally we are good at enacting laws, but enforcing them has been very weak”, he explained.
He observed that the illicit trade of donkey hides was driven by their heightened global demand, particularly from China, where they were processed into anti-ageing agents for pharmaceutical and cosmetic products.
He commended the Parliamentary Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and Cocoa Affairs for supporting the efforts to clamp down on the illicit trade.
He urged Ghanaians, especially consumers, to be vigilant, warning that donkey meat was often disguised and sold as bushmeat, especially in Ghana’s southern markets.
Madam Abiba Nibaradun, the Upper West Regional Programmes Manager, ActionAid Ghana, indicated that the introduction of donkeys by AAG over two decades ago had reduced work burden on women and children, especially girls and improved their education.
She explained that children used to carry fuelwood, Shea butter and trek long distances to markets to sell, which deprived them of education, but that burden had reduced as donkeys were now used to perform those tasks.
Madam Nibaradun said despite the importance of donkeys, less attention was paid to their health and welfare, which informed the project to advocate for the welfare needs of donkeys to extend their lifespan.
Madam Charity Batuure, the Upper West Regional Director, Department of Gender, appealed to AAG and its donors to extend the project to many communities in the Municipality and beyond, considering the economic benefit of donkeys to women.
Alhaji Zakarea Fuseini, the Upper East Regional Director of Agriculture, acknowledged the need to protect donkeys from extinction as they could be used for farming, especially by women.
GNA
Edited by Caesar Abagali/Christian Akorlie