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Opinions of Monday, 10 April 2023

Columnist: Rockson Adofo

The level of wickedness by some Ghanaians is without limit

A vie of cement paper stuffed in smoked fish play videoA vie of cement paper stuffed in smoked fish

Why are almost all Ghanaians that (sic) wicked, if I may ask? I can’t get my head around it, no matter how far I try to find out the reasons for the inherent wickedness of the Ghanaian.

Almost every Ghanaian on this earth claims to be religious of some sort; either Christian, Muslim or idol worshipper with a handful of them being atheists. However, they are almost all so evil-minded and blinded by the quest and determination to amass immense wealth, whether legally or otherwise, within the shortest time possible. Why is this so?

As much as I am aware of the Ghanaian’s infatuation with corruption, little did I know that they will be doing it with the fishes they sell on the market.

To hit the nail right in the head, I will proceed to narrate the motive behind today’s publication without further hesitation or meandering.

On returning from my six weeks holiday in Ghana, I had arranged for the purchase of some smoked fish to the tune of Ghc1,100.00.

A family friend in Effiduase-Ashanti gave the money to her friend, a fishmonger, who goes to Yeji, a town in the centre of Ghana and the capital of the Pru East District of the Bono East Region to buy me some smoked fish at a relatively cheaper price.

I was happy with the quantity that the money was able to buy me. Nevertheless, I was shocked to the bone when my wife invited me to the kitchen to be shown some cement papers found stuffed inside some of the fish as discovered when she was about to prepare some fish soup.

The papers had been stuffed inside the cut pieces of fish during smoking or grilling. It is so perfectly done such that one could hardly detect the papers when buying the fish from the market in their said cut-pieces form until broken up into further pieces. The papers could be said to blend in with the fish.

Having shown me the papers removed from the fish she had already broken up for the preparation of the soup, I asked to see further confirmation or evidence. I asked her to pull out from the cooker oven where we have been keeping some of the fish in storage.

To my surprise, one of the pieces she took and broke up in my presence was found to contain folded cement paper which could never be detected until you break up the piece.

My question to my fellow Ghanaians is, why are we that wicked even to the point of intentionally contaminating the food that we sell on the market for human consumption? As long as it is not myself, or a family member consuming the food when contaminated, who cares, the Ghanaian may say?

I made a short video of my findings as posted below.

I still have a tray full of some of the fish sitting on my upper kitchen shelf and only God knows what quantity of cement papers shall be found in them.

Is cement not carcinogenic? Is cement or the clinker in it not toxic hence harmful to humans when somehow consumed? Will the cement papers stuffed in the fishes not pose health hazards to those consuming the fishes?

To conclude, I am asking to know from the Ghanaian authorities why Ghanaians are so heartless in their pursuit of quick wealth hence will resort to any means possible as may be available to them?

I shall suggest to the Health & Environmental Department of the Local Government or whatever they are called, to do periodic random checks on those that smoke fishes in Yeji and other such places for commercial purposes or trading, to flush out those stuffing cement papers inside fishes to smoke and sell to people. Such sellers are deplorable, disgusting and need to be arrested.

This unacceptable practice could be a contributing factor to the daily numerous illnesses and deaths occurring in the cities, towns and villages in Ghana presently.