Poisonous Ponmo Floods Lagos Market,Govt Warns Residents

The Lagos State Government has warned residents of the state against buying ponmo (cow skin), being sold in some markets in the state.

A statement by the Director of Public Affairs, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Adeola Salako, said three persons involved in the sale of the “poisonous ponmo ” in the Ojo and Iba local government areas of the state had been arrested.

The statement said the ponmo was seized in large quantities, adding that samples of the confiscated ponmo had been sent to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control to test their suitability for consumption.

“The Commissioner for Health, Dr Jide Idris, who disclosed this in his office today (Sunday) while reviewing report of preliminary investigation and enforcement carried out on the sale of the toxic ponmo in the areas, stated that the three persons involved had been charged to court, while samples of the confiscated ponmo had been sent to the NAFDAC laboratory for suitability test analysis for human consumption,” the statement read in part.

The commissioner noted that the attention of the state government was drawn to the activities of traders who deal in the sales of the poisonous ponmo at odd hours in different locations in the two local government areas.

“Preliminary investigations and suspects tracing revealed that the traders were very active between 4am and 6am at various locations such as Volkswagen bus stop, Iyana Iba, Afolabi Ege Markets, all within the Ojo local government and Iba local council areas of the state.

“Furthermore, a company said to be located at the Ijedodo area of Iba LCDA was indicted as the source of supply of this toxic ponmo and has subsequently been put under surveillance,” the statement read.

Salako called on the public to be vigilant and report any sale of unwholesome foods and food products to environmental health officer in their nearest local government or to the ministry of health.