Unwholesome chicken imported from Belgium

Accra (Greater Accra) - A consignment of more than 2,000 cartons of unwholesome chicken, which is at the heart of a health scare was imported from Belgium in March last year, police said on Tuesday.

Mr Angwubutoge Awuni, Police Public Relations officer, said the 2,003 cartons of chicken sold to the public were declared unwholesome by the government in March last year when it banned the import of poultry products from Belgium after confirmation that such products could cause cancer.

It was during arrangements for its destruction that the consignment found its way into the market through two Environmental Health Officers of the Tema Municipal Assembly (TMA) and sales managers of the importer who sold the consignment to unsuspecting consumers.

The unwholesome chicken was sold in Accra, Ashaiman and Kumasi. Mr Awuni said Kuhnesi Cold Stores, which imported the chicken, was directed to re-export it to Belgium.

He said that since the Cold Store could not re-export the chicken, it approached the TMA Health Office to help in destroying them.

"The importer paid four million cedis to the Health Office and arrangements were made to send the unwholesome chicken to the Kpone site of the TMA for destruction.

"It was not until the officials of TMA and two sales managers of the cold store were arrested that the importer got to know that the unwholesome chicken were being sold to the public."

Mr Awuni said the 42 cartons, which have been retrieved have been destroyed by the TMA. The culprits are still in police custody helping with investigations.