The Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly in the Upper East Region has resolved to close down nearly 8 donkey hide processing centers discovered in the Municipality.
This follows a stakeholders engagement meeting spearheaded by Donyepa and the Ghana National Poultry Network (GAPNET) as part of the implementation of a project dubbed Fight Against Donkey Extinction(FADE) in collaboration with Brooke West Africa in Senegal and Brooke Foundation, UK.
There is an increased illegal trade and mass slaughter of donkeys in Ghana especially the Upper East and North East Regions due to the increased demand for donkey hide in China.
This has led to many Chinese nationals setting up centres for the processing of donkey’s hides in the region thereby fuelling the mass slaughter of the animal.
It is said that the donkey hide is being used to produce leather products and anti-aging agents in China for the elite class hence, the high demand.
The engagement last Friday, May 23, 2024 brought together personnel from the Ghana Police Service, butchers, environmental health officers, the Municipal Chief Executive for Bolga, Rex Asanga and officials of Donyepa and GAPNET to deliberate on the way forward.
Speaking to Dreamz News moments after the engagement, the MCE, Rex Asanga, noted that the assembly will move to have such facilities closed as he calls for an extension of the exercise to all assemblies in the region.
“We intend to take actions. First of all, to let the law work and to shutdown the skin processing and packaging centres which are operated mainly by foreigners and not even Ghanaians.
We need to shut them down and then we need to also urge the police to take action in terms of the transport of donkeys’ hides out of the region,” he stated.
“I think we even need a broader regional collaboration. Because if Bolga alone takes action, they just simply relocate to the other district and continue with their business”.
Dr. Roger Kanton, National Advocacy Officer, Fight Against Donkey Extinction, blamed the mass killing of donkeys on activities of Chinese nationals in the country.
He explained that it is against the laws of the country and various International treaties and protocol for donkeys to killed in huge numbers.
