Police in Begoro, in the Fanteakwa North District of the Eastern Region, have arrested a man posing as a veterinary officer after he allegedly caused the deaths of several animals by administering wrong injections.
The suspect, identified only as Amos, is said to have been parading himself as a veterinary professional and collecting money from unsuspecting farmers in exchange for unapproved animal treatment services that led to multiple fatalities.
His cover was blown when a resident lost a dog following an injection administered by Amos and subsequently reported his suspicions to the police.
During his arrest, police retrieved a range of drugs, syringes, and other medical items suspected to have been used in the illegal operations.
He has since been transferred from the Begoro District Police Command to the Eastern Regional CID for further investigation and is expected to appear before court on Monday.
Confirming the incident to GHOne News, Dr. Kofi Nti Agyarko, a senior veterinary officer at the Eastern Regional Veterinary Department, expressed concern over the growing number of impostors posing as veterinary professionals.
“We received information from the regional vet officer that one of the officers at Fanteakwa North had complained about people posing as veterinarians and treating animals within the area. We followed up with the regional police command and confirmed that one of such persons had been apprehended,” Dr. Agyarko said.
He explained that impersonating a veterinary professional violates the Veterinary Surgeons Act, which prohibits anyone from presenting themselves as a qualified veterinary surgeon.
“We made it clear to the police that this gentleman has committed an offence under the Veterinary Surgeons’ Law and should be punished accordingly,” he stated.
Dr. Agyarko revealed that this was not an isolated incident, adding that several farmers have suffered massive losses due to the activities of fake veterinary officers.
“Recently, I visited a farm where the farmer had lost over 100 pigs because someone posing as a vet came to treat the animals,” he lamented.
He urged farmers to verify the credentials of anyone claiming to be a veterinary officer before allowing them to treat their animals.
“Farmers should ask where the person trained and which institution they attended. To avoid being deceived, visit your district veterinary or MOFA office, where qualified officers are available to attend to your animals,” he advised.
Dr. Agyarko also called on the Veterinary Services Directorate to expedite the issuance of official identification cards to all certified veterinary officers to help combat impersonation.
“We encourage that ID cards be extended to officers in the field and at border posts so they can be easily distinguished from quacks. The rate at which these fake vets are causing losses is quite alarming,” he said.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
