Public health authorities in Ho have launched an investigation and intensified food safety warnings after quantities of suspected spoiled frozen chicken were illegally dumped near Avakpeta, with some residents reportedly taking the products home and preparing them for consumption.
The poultry products, including whole chickens, drumsticks, chicken feet and other frozen parts, were abandoned along a route leading to farmlands at Avakpeta, a farming community between Tsawenu in the Ho West District and Sokode Ando in the Ho Municipality.
Ho Municipal Environmental Health Officer Lawrence Senya has consequently cautioned residents in Ho and surrounding communities against purchasing or consuming poultry products from suspicious sources while investigations continue.
According to Mr Senya, environmental health officials acted on intelligence about the dumping and subsequently discovered several cartons of frozen poultry products at the site.
He explained that the products were still frozen and did not initially emit any noticeable odour, leading some residents to believe they were safe for consumption.
“Some people removed the ice and prepared the products for food because there were no visible signs of spoilage at the time. However, we cannot rule out the possibility of contamination, toxins or other harmful substances which may have informed the decision by unknown persons to dispose of them in such a manner,” he said.
Authorities have since begun retrieving the products from residents, including some that had already been smoked, roasted, cooked or used to prepare meals.
Mr Senya said community sensitisation efforts had encouraged residents who collected the poultry products to voluntarily surrender them to environmental health officials for safe disposal.
The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), security officials and environmental health officers are collaborating to investigate the incident, assess the potential public health risk and identify those responsible for the dumping.
Authorities have also intensified public education in affected communities and are urging residents not to buy frozen poultry products from questionable sources.
Mr Senya particularly advised consumers to exercise caution when buying whole chickens, drumsticks, chicken feet and other frozen poultry products from retailers and cold stores in the area.
He also reminded cold store operators, wholesalers and retailers to contact environmental health authorities when disposing of unwholesome food products or food waste to ensure that such materials are handled and destroyed safely.
Meanwhile, Assembly Member for the area Wisdom Akorli has condemned the dumping and called for those responsible to be identified and brought to justice.
He described the incident as an “evil act” and urged residents who had taken any of the dumped products home to surrender them immediately to the authorities.
Mr Akorli also encouraged anyone who experiences health problems after consuming any of the products to report to the nearest health facility.
Authorities are appealing to the public to report suspicious food dumping and unsafe food-handling practices to the FDA or environmental health officials as investigations continue.
