By Aaron Hammond 
When you think you have seen it all in Ghana, another wild story drops. The Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipal Assembly wants to develop land right on top of a burial site for anthrax infected animals. Yes, you heard that correctly. They are literally planning to dig up deadly trouble at Kwabedu.
The Veterinary Services Directorate is fighting back hard to stop this dangerous project. Dr Simon Gbene is the Regional Director of Veterinary Services for the Western and Western North regions. He expressed pure shock that the assembly is ignoring all professional warnings. He clearly stated that the assembly has pushed aside legal advice to halt the construction.
Anthrax is not a joke or a simple stomach bug you can cure with ginger. It is a highly deadly bacterial infection. When infected animals die and people bury them, the anthrax spores do not just disappear. Those dangerous spores can survive in the deep soil for several decades waiting for a new host. Digging up that specific land puts the entire public at massive risk.
We all want development and beautiful new buildings in our communities. However, building on a toxic veterinary disease surveillance farm is bad logic. The authorities must prioritize human lives over quick construction deals. If the assembly continues this project, they could trigger a massive health disaster in Tarkwa Nsuaem and beyond.
The Ministry of Health and the central government need to step in immediately. We cannot sit quietly while local officials ignore science and basic common sense. The public deserves safe land and leaders who listen to medical experts. Let us hope the assembly wakes up and moves their project to a safer location before things get totally out of hand.
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