Ghana to put up quarantine centres at border points
Ghana is to establish quarantine centres at all its major entry points to provide services for imported livestock to ensure that exotic diseases are not introduced into the country.
The quarantine centres will prevent the introduction, establishment, or spread of animal, plant or human pests and diseases.
Dr Hannah Bisiw, Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, made this known when she paid a familiarization tour to Tema and Kotoka International Airport on Wednesday to familiarize herself with their operations.
She said her visit was necessitated by the recent case concerning, some Chinese nationals, who smuggled 350 fertilized eggs at the hatching stage in a suitcase into the country but were arrested at the Airport on arrival.
She said on interrogation, they said they had a farm to which they supplied the eggs, adding investigations were ongoing and appropriate sanctions would be applied.
She said due to the bird flu endemic nature of China, Ghana does not import livestock products from that country.
Dr Bisiw said measures were being put in place to strengthen enforcement institutions to effectively enforce the law at the country’s entry points to improve on the livestock sector.
The Minister said the Ministry would start recruiting more staff to the Airport to support the existing staff in their operations.
She called on stakeholders in the industry to collaborate effectively to address the challenges facing the sector.
At the Tema Port the Minister visited the Jubilee Terminal, refrigerator area and the scan area, while at the Airport she went to the import and export sections and warehouses.
Source: GNA