Two farmers have been fined GH₵ 1,200.00 each by the Toase District Court in the Atwima Nwabiagya South Municipality of the Ashanti Region for rearing cattle in a residential area.

Haruna Ibrahim and Musah Dawuda pleaded guilty to the charge of engaging in an obnoxious trade, specifically, rearing animals in a residential area, contrary to Section 54(a) of the Public Health Act, 2012 (Act 851). They were convicted on their own plea.

In default of the fine, each of them will serve a one-month jail term.

The court, presided over by Robert Addo, also ordered the convicts to relocate the animals within one month.

Presenting the facts of the case, Prosper Argum, the Atwima Nwabiagya South Municipal Environmental Health Analyst, told the court that the complainants were officers from the Municipal Environmental Health Department. At the same time, the convicts are farmers residing at Atwima-Agogo-Abease.

He said that on October 17, 2025, the department received a complaint about cattle being reared in a residential area at Agogo-Abease, prompting a team of officers to conduct an inspection.

The inspection confirmed the complaint and revealed that the activities of the convicts posed serious health risks to residents.

Mr Argum explained that rearing cattle in a residential zone could facilitate the transmission of zoonotic diseases and attract disease-carrying vectors such as flies and rodents, constituting a direct public health threat.

He added that anytime it rained, runoff washed cow dung into people’s homes, creating unsanitary conditions, an offensive odour, and general environmental nuisance.

According to him, after the concerns were explained to the farmers, they admitted the offence. Following further investigations, they were charged and arraigned before the court.