The Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission has auctioned the wildlife meat it ceased in a recent operation in the Central region.
The Division in a recent operation ceased from persons who had in their possession wild meat without license after it had warned that the closed season for hunting wild animals is still in force until December.
Patrons trooped in to the Achimota office of the Forestry Commission to purchase for themselves the meat that were under auction.
Background
The Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission seized bush meats from chop bar operators at Awutu Bereku in the Central region.
The Division said the meats seized were illegal to use due to their endangered species.
Speaking with Onua News, the Public Relations Officer of the Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission, Ernestina Adumia Anning said but for grasscutter, every other bush meat was endangered and therefore forbidden to use irrespective of whether the person had acquired license from the Commission or not.
“In court you will be asked where you got the meat from, Is the meat that of an endangered specie, which period did you use the animal and where are you selling it? So, these are the areas you will be queried and charged. The counts would determine how much you will pay as a fine.
“The counts would determine how much you will pay as a fine. Sometimes you are fined and imprisoned as well. The maximum is two years,” she added.
Madam Anning further indicated that the purpose of the operation is “to check a lot of things including food security, eco-tourism, development, employment and a lot of things.”
Meanwhile, some of the chop bar operators whose meat were seized poured their frustration to our news team.
“They came for our bushmeat unaware. My elder brother went there to collect it but they didtnt release it to us,” one person said.
Another added that “they bumped to our chop bar and seized our bushmeat. We have purchased and refrigerated them for some months now and the forestry commission has come for them. We want to know if the forestry commission can bump into someone’s to seize their meat. We want the government to tell us. We have license and we pay tax. Here is it.”
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