THERE was a frightening story on the front page of the Monday, April 19, 2010 edition of the Daily Graphic on the brisk sale of turkey tails in the market despite a ban on its importation and sale. It would be recalled that because of health problems associated with the consumption of turkey tails a ban was placed on the importation of the commodity by the Food and Drugs Board (FDB).
BUT from what the Daily Graphic reported it stands to reason that either there is total laxity in the enforcement of the ban or our security agencies are condoning in the importation of the commodity. Thankfully, the Daily Graphic report alleged that some unscrupulous security personnel were assisting importers to bring the commodity into the country.
FOR us at Today, this is very worrying. It is most unfortunate that security personnel detailed to enforce the ban on importation of turkey tails will turn around and allow people to smuggle the product into the country because of their parochial interest, thereby putting lives of Ghanaian consumers at risk. Why?
THE FDB which imposed the ban, according to the news item, believes that certain powerful people are undermining their efforts by helping in the illegal importation of the product. It is in this wise that the paper welcomes the multi-prong approach adopted by officials of FDB to reverse the disturbing trend and possibly bring the culprits to book.
AND inasmuch as we urge the FDB and the security agencies to strengthen measures of checking the menace and nip the trade in the bud, we at Today will also like to use this platform to call on Ghanaians, particularly those who patronise the product to refrain from buying them. Consumers should have it at the back of their minds that it was not out of nothing that an embargo was placed on the importation of the commodity by the FDB and the ministry of trade and industry.
WE on the paper believe and accept the saying that ‘prevention is better than cure’ so it will be proper if the consuming public will adhere to the dangers that come with consuming the product.
AND in light of this, Today will advise those unseen hands (referring to those influential people behind the illegal trade) to stop undermining the effort of FDB and ministry of trade and industry in checking the trade.