Stop Eating Ponmo, Ogun Govt. Warn Residents

ponmo

Ogun State government has warned residents of the state against consuming cattle hide and skin otherwise known as ‘Ponmo’ as it says it has uncovered some poisonous ones in some markets in the state.

Commissioner for Agriculture, Ronke Sokefun raised the alarm, yesterday, while addressing stakeholders and ‘Ponmo’ sellers in her office, in Abeokuta.

The government noted that some persons were taking advantage of the gap in demand and supply to sell industrial ‘Ponmo’ laden with chemicals to the unsuspecting public.

According to Sokefun, the toxic ‘Ponmo’ is often brownish black, foul smelling, abnormally thick with layers and ridiculously cheap compared to the one meant for consumption.

“Tanning chemicals like biocides and fungicides are added along the processing chain to preserve the hides against protein degradation, bacteria and mould growth that would have damaged the hides and skin,” she said of the poisonous ones discovered which are raw hide meant for leather production.