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Inside February 13, 2018 .qxp_Layout 1 2/12/18 7:17 PM Page 5 06 View DAILY HERITAGE TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2018 WWW.DAILYHERITAGE.COM.GH Reflections on ‘Operation Cow Leg’ and animal cruelty BY NANA YAW OSEI M ANY GREAT feats accomplished in history were the outcome of either political or economic integration. For example, in reaction to exigencies of the evolving Cold War and Russians’ aggression in Europe, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation was formed in 1949. Also, in response to the economic challenges of West Africa, the Economic Community of West African States [ECOWAS] Per Ghana’s constitution, anybody born in Ghana before independence and, regardless of his/her nationality is a Ghanaian. This somewhat elucidates why I think Fulani stereotype in Ghana must stop! From my novice commonsensical convictions, ‘Operation Cow Leg’ is nothing otherwise than an act of animal cruelty. What have cattle got to do with constitutional infringement? Animal cruelty refers to an overt and deliberate act of violence towards animals. Killing of animals in inhuman manner is an example of animal savagery. Animals are sentient creatures and their lives cannot be wasted in a manner that ‘Operation Cow Leg’ team killed cattle belonging to the nomadic herdsmen at Agogo in Ashanti Region of the Republic of Ghana. In the religion of Islam, a special prayer is said before an animal is slaughtered. Hare Krishnan example In the Hare Krishnan faith, thereare strong beliefs that eating meat is eating a life created by Krishna (their God) and thus, imperative need for members to remain vegetarian. Far from dabbling in animism, paganism and totemism as derogatorily used to describe African traditional religion, killing pregnant animals could have spiritual implications on the killer. Admittedly, some aspects Animal cruelty refers to an overt and deliberate act of violence towards animals. Killing of animals in inhuman manner is an example of animal savagery was formed in 1975 to commit to bolstering economic development through free movement of people in the West African subregion. Thus, diversity in integration and development are bedfellows. That is why I am grappling to catch the drift of the opinion that division could accelerate development [highly debatable though]. Ghana as a member of ECOWAS is ruled by a constitution framed and shrouded in puritan egalitarian ideals [that all men are created equal] and Albert Venn Dicey- coined rule of law. of animism, paganism and totemism are held by African traditional believers. Nevertheless, paganism and animism or totemism cannot suffice as substitutes for African faith. Such claims are borne out of ignorance Anyhow, my late paternal ground father in my village, who was a great hunter, told me the following anecdote. He said a certain hunter went on his usual hunting mission. This hunter saw a female chimpanzee on top of a tree nursing the young chimp. The hunter was terrified with the presence of the animal and decided to kill them. All attempts to kill the animal and the young chimp were unsuccessful because the gun did not even trigger, let alone shooting! The man ended his hunting expedition and went home with a belief, that pregnant/nursing animals are protected by some spirits such as dwarfs and forest monsters. I know the story will sound weird and superstitious to many readers because it came from an African believer. To those skeptics: “You shall not muzzle an ox when it is treading out the grain” (Deuteronomy 25:4). “If you come across a bird's nest in any tree or on the ground, with young ones or eggs and the mother sitting on the young or on the eggs, you shall not take the mother with the young. You shall let the • “Operation Cow Leg’ team killed cattle belonging to the nomadic herdsmen at Agogo in Ashanti Region recently mother go, but the young you may take for yourself, that it may go well with you, and that you may live long.” (Deuteronomy 22:6-7). Other examples I am without a modicum of desire to construct the niches of security in Ghana, even so, I am humbly calling for alternative interventions and operational strategies, devoid of prejudice against the Fulani to eradicate nomadic herdsmen menace in the farming communities. Let us assume that nomadic herdsmen have breached the laws of Ghana. What then have their innocent animals got to do with rule of law? The killing of cattle belonging to the herdsmen is very despicable. In some parts of the globe animal welfare legislations prohibit citizens from engaging in animal cruelty. In United States of America, the 1966 Animal Welfare Act is enforced by United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). In California State, an individual can be convicted into 12 months imprisonment and a fine up to $ 20,000 for offences of animal cruelty. In 2009, Canada introduced code of practice for the care and handling of dairy cattle. Besides, in Egypt, anyone who intentionally kills any domesticated animal may be jailed. Animal cruelty offence is punishable by law in Sweden. Animal owners who intentionally kill their animals in Sweden risk having their rights to own animals revoked. There is a proposed Universal Declaration on animal welfare at the United Nation (UN) to prevent cases of animal cruelty. As of today, there is no clear-cut UN accord frowning upon violence towards animals. Predictably, the Fulani Association of Ghana complaining at UN against Ghana government (Source: peacefmonline.com, January 20, 2018), is dead on arrival. Nonetheless, whoever master-minded mass killing of cattle as a so- lu- tion to Agogo crop farmers-nomadic herdsmen conflict goofed, big time! Ghana rather needs to introduce cattle ranching laws or enforce the existing laws. Sensitive cases like this must be CONCLUSION We need to encourage best cattle rearing farming practices to revamp livestock industry to balance the country’s meat deficit. Ghana’s Food and Agriculture Ministry reports indicate that cattle is predominantly reared by either Ghanaian local farmers or Fulani herdsmen in Ghana. Beef represents about 33% of all locally produced meat in the country. Cattle are kept for either beef or milk. Three types of cattle in Ghana are beef cattle, dairy cattle and dual purpose cattle (Source: MoFA, Ghana). World Health Organisation (WHO’s) findings indicate that an average African consumes about 36kg of milk annually. This is far below the WHO’s recommended annual consumption of 200kg of milk per person. Per UN trade records, Ghana spent more than $80 million importing milk and milk products every year since 2011. Thus, killing cattle equally does not only risk endangering food security in the country, but also imperil staggering Ghana under a huge financial burden. Needless to say, I do not support the alleged atrocities committed by the nomadic herdsmen at Agogo. I am not unaware of reported cases of militant nomadism as in Northern Nigeria. All that I am suggesting is that we must marshal enough evidence to confirm the belief that murder, bush rape are truly perpetrated by the Fulani nomadic herdsmen. What about the tackled devoid of emotions. Modern cattle ranching best practices workshop should be organised for the herdsmen and cattle owners. The 2016 Human Development Index report by United Nations Development Program ranked Ghana 139 out of 188 countries. Food security is an integral part of human development and poverty reduction. In 2015, Professor Gabriel Ayum Teye of University of Development Studies averred that 90% of meat products consumed in Ghana were imported from Burkina Faso and Europe. Certainly, beef import cost a Ghanaian tax payer huge sums of money. murder and rape incidents reported in other parts of Ghana? Are they committed by nomadic herdsmen? We must not hide behind the Fulani stereotype and preach hate against them. Our leaders must avoid creating mess for the police and the military. May the soul of the security men who lost their lives during ‘Operation Cow Leg’ rest in peace! We must not pretend not to know the real owners of the cattle in Agogo. We have every right to protect the lives and property at Agogo, but mass killing of cattle is very unfortunate. Let us look for herdsmen who violate others’ rights and punish them in accordance with the law. Let us not destroy cattle because of nomadic activities or because they belong to Fulani herdsmen. Fulani herdsmen are our fellow Africans. It is very unfair to discriminate against them. Economic activities are products of culture. Many cultures mean more economic activities. Cultural diversities come with diverse experience and technologies. Let us embrace multiculturalism for development. Show some love to Fulani minority in Ghana! We can conceive of a future without high-rises. But a humanity without music and love is not just inconceivable; it is impossible – George Leonard. Arrest Fulani herdsmen who are criminals only! Say no to animal cruelty. God Bless Our Homeland Ghana!
Inside February 13, 2018 .qxp_Layout 1 2/12/18 7:17 PM Page 6 Signs and symptoms of throat cancer THROAT CANCER refers to cancerous tumors that develop in your throat (pharynx), voice box (larynx) or tonsils. Your throat is a muscular tube that begins behind your nose and ends in your neck. Throat cancer most often begins in the flat cells that line the inside of your throat. • A cough • Changes in your voice, such as hoarseness or not speaking clearly. • Difficulty swallowing. • Ear pain. •A lump or sore that doesn't heal. • A sore throat. • Weight loss. WWW.DAILYHERITAGE.COM.GH DAILY HERITAGE TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2018 &Env. Nine natural anti-inflammatory foods needed in your diet INFLAMMATION CAN be a force for good, but it can also be a force for bad. It’s a natural process that your body relies on in times of need, but it can also leave you in a severe amount of pain. When inflammation spirals out of control, it becomes chronic and very painful. And once chronic inflammation has set in, it can be really hard to eliminate. It can take a few weeks to go away, but sometimes it can take a few years. Not cool. And during that time, it can cause a load of health problems, from arthritis to diabetes. The thing is that, like many things that happen to our body, inflammation can be avoided if you eat the right things. If you fix up your diet and avoid inflammation causing foods, you can reduce its symptoms and even prevent it altogether. Let’s take a look at the top 20 best anti-inflammatory foods you should include in your diet. Avocados Poster boy for fruit itself, the colourful avocado is a super food that’s rich in fibre, magnesium, potassium, and good fats. If you’re not sure what that means, there are two types of fat: Good and bad. The good ones are also known as mono-unsaturated fats, and they’re good for your heart. Avocados also contain compounds that can reduce your risk of developing cancer. Be creative with avocados. Include them in your next salad, in scrambled eggs, in a smoothie, or even try them on a burger. Ginger Ginger is one heck of a super food that comes stuffed with all kinds of medicinal properties. If you’re in time of need and need to heal quickly, ginger should be your new best friend. Ginger’s potency is largely down to its compounds called •Ginger gingerols (a suitable name if ever we heard one!) which are anti-bacterial, anti-disease, antioxidant and – critically – antiinflammatory. According to studies, gingerols have been proven to block numerous enzymes and genes in your body that, if left unchecked, can run riot and cause inflammation. Indeed, researchers have been experimenting with rats to see if ginger can calm arthritis by inhibiting joint swelling. To get the most out of ginger, you would need to consume fresh Mushrooms Mushrooms are a funny old thing. Their bulbous shape and grimy colour palette doesn’t exactly make them the fairest vegetable in the land, but many people absolutely love them. And if you love them too, it’s time to start eating even more of them because they’re a marvelous antiinflammatory food. Mushrooms indeed have anticancer, antioxidant and anti-viral properties. They’re anti everything! As well as this, they also contain lots of potassium, copper and iron. Mushrooms are super versatile too, and they come in •Avocados various varieties. So pick your favourites and get eating them. Green tea Love the taste or hate it, no one can deny that green tea is one of the healthiest things you can drink. It’s been studied extensively, and we can say with confidence that it reduces your risk of developing obesity, Alzheimer’s, cancer, heart disease and other nasties. This is all down to it anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agents. In particular, green tea contains a substance known as EGCG which does a grand job of inhibiting inflammation. If you’re really not a fan of green tea and are wincing at the thought of having to drink it in order to conquer inflammation, why not try flavoured green tea instead? The benefits are still the same but the taste might be more to your liking. Salmon Salmon is one of the healthiest fish you can eat. In fact, it’s one of the healthiest foods you can eat. One of the reasons for this is that salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. These are good fats that provide anti-inflammatory benefits for your body. Moreover, salmon is also a good source of poly-unsaturated fats and provides your body with •Mushrooms DHA and EPA. Cinnamon Unlike green tea, we’re pretty sure that almost everyone likes cinnamon. Who can resist the charms of a cinnamon bun or a few sprinkles in our (green or otherwise) tea? Cinnamon adds a perfectly sweet taste to things but it’s also highly beneficial for our health. In fact, it’s one of the best anti-inflammatory foods you can eat. Who knew anti-inflammatory foods tasted this good? As well as being anti-inflammatory, cinnamon also has antioxidant, anti-diabetic and antiseptic agents. It’s also a good source of calcium, iron, manganese, vitamin E and vitamin K. As well as reducing inflammation, cinnamon can also reduce bad cholesterol levels, and it also lowers your risk of developing heart disease, Alzheimer’s and cancer. Tomatoes OMG tomatoes are just pure amaze. As luscious as lipstick, as sweet as the sun, tomatoes are super tasty, super versatile and super healthy. They work well in salads, soups, on pizzas, in sandwiches, they work pretty much everywhere! They’re also fantastically antiinflammatory and deserve to be on this list as much as everything else. Tomatoes are low in calories and fat and contain absolutely no cholesterol. They’re a good source of manganese, potassium, vitamin K and A, and their antioxidant agents fight the good fight against heart disease, skin issues and cancer. Cauliflower Cauliflower always reminds us of visiting grandma when we were kids and her kitchen would reek of steamed cauliflower. It’s hardly the most pleasant of all aromas, but cauliflower is fantastically healthy for us and doesn’t taste all that bad at all. Thank to its omega-3 fatty acids, phytonutrients and vitamin K content, cauliflower is one of the best anti-inflammatory foods around. It also contains a good amount of potassium, magnesium and protein. The things this cruciferous vegetable does for our bodies? Well, it boosts cardiovascular health, brain functioning and it lowers our blood pressure. Meanwhile, its fibre content promotes better digestion. Red Peppers Peppers in general are anti-inflammatory and whether you go for red, yellow or green you will be getting some kind of benefit. However, red peppers are the best ones to go for because they have more vitamin C than the rest. This means they’re better at tackling inflammation markers. Red peppers also contain luteolin, which has been proven to reduce inflammation, as well as beta carotene, which is another beneficial anti-inflammatory agent. Beauty and Tips
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February 13

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