Ogun alerts on influx of poisonous ‘ponmo’ in markets

…Warns against consumption of chemical product

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NIGERIA: OGUN State government has raised alarm on the avalanche of poisonous “ponmo” in the state.

Government has cautioned its citizens to beware of eating the cattle’s hides and skins, the common products in all parts of the country.

The  Commissioner for  Agriculture, Ronke Sokefun, who  raised the alarm on Thursday while addressing stakeholders and ‘ponmo’ sellers in her office in Abeokuta, said that government had discovered large quantities of the poisonous products in the markets across the state.
Sokefun, who is serving second term as commissioner under the Senator Ibikunle Amosun government, has therefore warned residents of the state to be cautious of the dangerous food items and desist from consumption.

She stated that investigations conducted indicated that some unscrupulous businessmen have been taking advantage of the gap in demand and supply of “ponmo”  to engage in selling industrial “ponmo” which contains chemicals to the public.
She explained that the “killer” ponmo often called “’imported ponmo” was often brownish black with a foul smell, and abnormally thick with layered sections.

Sokefun added that another noticeable feature of the imported ponmo is that the price was ridiculously cheap, apparently to draw large buyers.
“Tanning chemicals like biocides and fungicides are added along the processing chain to preserve the hides against protein degradation, bacteria and mould growth that would have damaged the hides and skin,” the commissioner said.
She added that the raw hides are commonly later processed into the local relish called ‘ponmo’ and bought by unsuspecting members of the public for consumption.
Sokefun further stressed: “The government, being aware of the health implication of the consumption of this imported hides and skin, considers it important to enlighten the public on the danger inherent in the consumption and prevent further sales of the product as food of animal origin in the state.
‪”The Ministry of Agriculture is collaborating with the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control,  which has commenced investigation and placed a trail on the importer.”
She stressed: “In addition, we are in  strategic liaisons with the Public Health Department of the Ministry of Health and all Environmental Health Departments of local government councils to confiscate such Ponmo at our various markets.”