Health

POMO BAN

There are speculations that the Federal Government is planning to ban the sale and consumption of cow skin popularly known as Pomo in Nigeria. According to some sources, the move is to enable livestock farmers to make more profit by turning the “Pomo” into leather products. It was gathered that the Federal Government’s proposed Pomo-ban was motivated by a call made by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr.Akinwunmi Adesina for a stronger check on the consumption and sale of cow skin during the 3^rd joint anniversary of the Animal Science Association of Nigeria and Nigerian Institute of Animal Science which held at the University of Ibadan. Dr.Adesina’s call was in turn informed by economic reasons; it is his opinion that farmers would make better profits by turning the hides and skins into leather, instead of simply consuming everything. In his words, “I am confident that the satisfactory production levels achieved in the poultry and swine segments will soon stretch to reach other commodities such as beef, diary, micro livestock and animal by-products such as leather, bones, hides and skins.” This new line of thinking is a positive indication that Nigerian leaders are beginning to think beyond oil revenue as source of revamping and sustaining the economy of the nation. In fact, the agricultural sector promises to be a very viable sector even for the generation of employment for the millions of the unemployed masses of the Nigerian public. Unfortunately however, the news of the proposed ban is not going down well with the Nigerian masseswho see the proposed ban as an infringement on their basic human rights to choose what they want to eat. Several negative and disparaging comments have been made on social media networks protesting the proposed ban. One of such comments reads, “Pomo never hurt anyone. Pomo never embezzled. Pomo never abducted schoolgirls. Pomo never ran for president. Why should Pomo be banned?” Another commentator wonders whether government would send law enforcement agents to every food joint or every kitchen to arrest those consuming Pomo.

Anyway, perhaps government could do with a few suggestions here. Every good intention of government does not have to be implemented by wielding the big stick and antagonising the poor masses. Whatever government wants to do with cow skin she can still do by simply buying up the skins from the livestock farmers, and allow the economic law of demand and supply to settle the matter. Let those who want to buy for consumption go ahead and buy, while those who want to buy for tanning and leather work can also go ahead and buy. At the end of the day everybody is happy. The price of Pomo could shoot up to the rooftops, but there would be more money and more employment for more people. And nobody should complain for paying some more money to enjoy a favorite delicacy.

Besides economic factors, there could be other considerations for discouraging the consumption of Pomo, such as health factors.Cow skin contains large deposits of concentrated fat, high in cholesterol.  In addition, during the process of burning to remove the hair, carbon soot is also introduced into the skin.  It is actually not a healthy meal irrespective of the fact that Nigerians love it. In other countries around the world, cow skin is generally classified as not fit for human consumption. It is used profitably for the production of high quality leather bags, shoes, belts, etc. which Nigerians also love and spend fortunes to import from other countries. So, instead of simply consuming, why don’t we also produce and export to other nations of the world?For once, let us stop thinking like consumers and begin to think like producers.