Officer suggests court action for owners of stray animals

Wa, Feb. 5, GNA - Mr. Henry Bagah, Wa Municipal Environmental Health Officer, has called for the arrest and prosecution of people who allow their animals to roam the streets and cause fatal motor accidents leading to the death of motorists and other road users. This would serve as a deterrent to all other people who refuse to confine their animals.

He said activities of stray animals such as sheep, goats, pigs, donkeys and cattle were becoming a source of worry for many road users, and pragmatic measures must therefore be taken to punish their owners without any fear or favour.

Mr. Bagah made the suggestion during an interview with the Ghana News Agency at Wa on the issue of stray animals in the Municipality on Thursday. He noted that his outfit would by the end of February this year embark on an exercise aimed at arresting all stray animals found on the streets of the Municipality to put to an end any further torture and damages they had caused to people.

"Stray animals such as sheep, goats, pigs, donkeys and cattle that are found roaming about on the streets during the day of the exercise will be detained".

"Owners of such animals shall be taxed to pay heavy fines before they can get their animals back and anyone who will fail to comply will be forced to face the full rigours of the law", he stressed. He mentioned causing of accidents on the streets, gracing on backyard gardens, littering of public places and rubbing shoulders with people in the market as some of the destructive activities caused by these stray animals. He said such destructive activities could undermine efforts being put in place to ensure a clean environment in the Municipality. Mr. Bagah blamed some of his labourers for leaking information to collect remittances whenever they were about to embark on the arrest exercise, adding that animal owners after getting the information confined their animals for the duration of the exercise only to release them into the streets again afterwards.

He, therefore, advised those involved in such dubious practice to desist from it as it undermined the development of the Municipality. He pointed out that the labour force of the Environmental Department was very weak, adding that they usually depended on casual workers whom they contracted to help carry out the exercise.

Mr Bagah stressed that the department lacked the necessary capital needed to revamp the labour force to be able to carry out the exercise. He, therefore, called for support from the Municipal Assembly and the general public to enable them to play their role to ensure a clean environment in the Municipality and the region as a whole.