Beware of Poisonous “Ponmo”, Community Head Warns Lagos Residents
Mojisola Lawal
Following the confiscation of truckloads of poisonous cowhide popularly known as “Ponmo yesterday at Ijegun in Alimosho Local Government area of Lagos State, Baale of Otumara II, Apapa road, Ojo-niyun and its environ, High Chief Kehinde Kalejaiye has advised residents in Lagos state especially in his community to desist from eating Ponmo.
According to the Baale, residents should seek alternative in fish and other sea foods as he said it is better to stay healthy than to eat what will have dangerous effect on our health.
High Chief Kalejaiye suggested that it is better to stay alive and healthy than to be eating cow skin that is laden with chemical.
It would be recalled that Police in Ikotun area of the State arrested a vehicle fully loaded with cowhide, otherwise known as “ponmo” barely three months after about 30 tonnes of the dangerous “ponmo’ were seized by the State Government.
During a chat with newsmen in Lagos, High Chief Kalejaiye commended the efforts of the police and the Lagos state government for uncovering the poisoned substances.
He however warned residents to do away from eating ponmo as he said no one can tell or identify the good from bad ones.
He said, “Since it is difficult to identify the cow skin that has been poisoned with chemical, I want to advice us that it will be best to desist from eating ponmo at this time.
There are bad people who are bent on making money at the expense of human health. I don’t seem to understand why people are so desperate to wanting to sell the Ponmo that has been preserved with chemicals to the people all in the name of making money.”
He stated further that eating such contaminated cowhide could cause cancer and other dangerous diseases.
He said, “I heard that the Ponmo was intended to be used as leather material and are not to be sold for human consumptions but some criminals stole them and attempted to sell at the market.
Before their arrest, nobody knows if they have successfully sold some of it to the market. I want to advice the State Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Health to go into our markets to ensure that the ponmo that is being sold are healthy for human consumption.
Many people are battling with cancer mainly because of unhygienic food. The Lagos government too have said it could cause Ebola virus. So It is better to stay healthy without ponmo than to eat it and contact dangerous and incurable diseases.”
High Chief Kalejaiye, however, called on members of the public to be vigilant and report anybody suspected to be selling unhealthy foods to the police or the government.
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