The Veterinary Services Department of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture in the Western and Western North Regions has raised concerns over attempts by the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipal Assembly to develop a commercial facility on portions of the Tarkwa Veterinary Investigation Sheep Farm, warning that the project could pose a serious public health risk.
In a press release dated July 17, Regional Director of Veterinary Services, Dr. Simon Gbene, said the affected area contains anthrax burial sites where infected animal carcasses were safely interred, most recently in May 2024.
According to him, international veterinary and public health practice requires such burial sites to remain undisturbed for up to 100 years because anthrax spores can survive in the soil for decades.
He cautioned that any disturbance of the burial sites could have “catastrophic consequences” for both human and animal health.
“As a Veterinary Medical Public Health Specialist and one of the professionals who contributed to Ghana’s fight against COVID-19, I consider this situation an imminent threat that demands immediate intervention before an avoidable public health disaster occurs,” Dr. Gbene stated.
He further alleged that the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipal Assembly does not have legal title to the Veterinary Investigation Sheep Farm, arguing that the continued attempts to develop the land raise both public health and legal concerns.
According to the statement, the Assembly has continued activities on the land despite formal advice from the Principal State Attorney for the Western Region highlighting the issues.
Dr. Gbene appealed to the Ministry of Local Government, the Ministry of Health, the Environmental Protection Agency, the security services, civil society organisations and the public to support efforts to protect the facility.
“The safety of our people must always take precedence over commercial interests,” he said.
