A temporary ban has been placed on the sale of the poisonous puffer fish in the Kpando municipality of the Volta region.
This comes after an emergency Municipal Security Council Meeting triggered by the death of four persons reported to have been killed by food poisoning after consuming the fish.
According to the Chief Executive of the area, Elvis Gyampoh, a task force made up of the Police, FDA, Traditional leaders, fishermen and fishmongers, have been deployed district wide to rid the market of the fish.
The taskforce has already given positive feedback, from its market surveillance and has allayed the fears of the public against any further deaths.
” The taskforce has to go to the shores and the markets…we’ve placed a temporary ban on the sale of that fish in any form. And anyone caught selling that kind of fish will be sanctioned. This morning we’ve had a very good results. They’ve gone round all the villages which have markets along the lake and the response we were told is very good. We’ve contained that fish. People started throwing the fish away. Some throw it into the river and so on” the MCE told Accra-based Citi FM in an interview.
Four people died in the Volta region with several others admitted at medical centres after allegedly consuming the poisonous puffer fish.
The puffer fish is highly poisonous and needs a lot of attention from cooking experts and sometimes specially-trained chefs to treat it before consumption.
