O ye ponmo lovers, beware...
Many lovers of cow skin popularly known as ponmo in Nigeria are at a big risk as health officials have warned that toxic cattle used for leather production have flooded the country’s market.
The Ogun state commissioner for Agriculture, Funke Sokefun, who raised the alarm, warned residents of the state that the markets were flooded with ponmo reportedly processes with industrial chemicals such as biocides and fungicides.
It was said that ponmo allegedly imported from Japan, Italy, Sudan and some other African and European countries are toxic.
She said what is being sold is raw hide meant for leather production. These hides are often brownish, foul-smelling, abnormally thick with layers and also cheap compared to the certified ponmo.
Encomium
So people, lookout for the certified and original ponmo and stay away from the fake ones.