Key figures in Ghana’s agricultural sector are calling on the government to immediately ban the illegal trade in donkey hides, warning that the continued slaughter of donkeys could lead to the species’ extinction if swift action is not taken.
The concern centers on a lucrative but illicit market reportedly driven by some Chinese nationals operating in Ghana’s northern regions, with assistance from local collaborators. These actors are believed to be slaughtering donkeys solely for their hides, which are then processed and exported to China for commercial use.
AU and ECOWAS Already Ban the Trade
Professor Roger Kanton, an agricultural research scientist and leader of the Fight Against Donkey Extinction Project Team, Ghana, is at the forefront of the campaign. Speaking during an engagement with the Parliamentary Select Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Cocoa Affairs, he stressed that international and regional bodies have already taken a stand.
“The ECOWAS veterinary doctors met in Abuja and issued a communiqué… it gave us legal grounds to act,” Prof. Kanton stated.
He further explained that subsequent publications from Dakar and the African Union (AU) reinforced the call to end the trade, all citing the urgent risk of extinction.
Practice Still Rife in Ghana and Nigeria
Despite these high-level directives, donkey slaughter for hide export remains prevalent in Ghana and other West African countries like Nigeria. Stakeholders argue that without domestic enforcement of regional bans, the problem will only worsen.
Prof. Kanton emphasized the importance of Ghana aligning with these AU and ECOWAS decisions to protect both the animal population and the livelihoods of communities that rely on donkeys for transportation and farming.
Calls are now mounting for the government to issue a national ban on donkey hide trade, enforce stricter controls, and raise public awareness to save the species from disappearing entirely.
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