The Assin Fosu Municipal Assembly has impounded more than 100 goats found roaming freely across the municipality in a renewed effort to enforce environmental sanitation and public safety by-laws.
The operation, led by the Municipal Environmental Health Department, follows numerous complaints from residents and farmers about stray livestock destroying crops, damaging property, and creating sanitation and safety concerns in the area.
Speaking to 1960 News, the Assin Fosu Municipal Environmental Health Officer, Mr. Emmanuel Agyare, said the enforcement exercise became necessary after repeated reports of goats wandering into homes, markets, farms, and other public spaces, causing significant inconvenience and financial losses to residents.
According to him, the unchecked movement of the animals has become a growing nuisance within the municipality, with many goats feeding on crops, destroying gardens, and damaging property.
He noted that the situation has also posed serious risks to motorists and pedestrians, as the animals frequently stray onto major roads and streets.
Mr. Agyare explained that beyond property destruction, the roaming livestock contribute to poor environmental sanitation by scattering refuse in search of food and leaving droppings in public places.
These conditions, he said, undermine efforts to keep the municipality clean and could expose residents to potential public health risks.
He revealed that the Assembly had on several occasions educated and warned livestock owners to confine their animals in accordance with the municipality’s by-laws.
However, many owners failed to comply, leaving the Assembly with no option but to begin strict enforcement.
The Environmental Health Officer stated that owners of all impounded goats would be required to pay the prescribed fines and any other applicable charges before their animals are released.
Mr. Agyare emphasized that the exercise is not intended to punish livestock owners but to ensure compliance with local regulations designed to protect public health, preserve environmental cleanliness, and safeguard farms and private property from destruction.
He warned that similar enforcement operations would continue and even be intensified across the municipality.
He therefore urged owners of goats, sheep, cattle, and other livestock to keep their animals in secure enclosures to avoid future penalties.
Mr. Agyare also appealed to residents to support the Assembly’s sanitation drive by reporting stray animals and other environmental health concerns, stressing that community cooperation is essential to maintaining a clean, safe, and orderly municipality.
Story by Yaw Boagyan
