Customers are likely to pay more for livestock they buy this Christmas as dealers say the police have been extorting a lot of money from them.

They say the amount the police demand from them at various checkpoints across the country are hefty enough and they have no choice but to transfer the cost to customers.

A lot of people do not like to consume frozen chicken, which has become part of the everyday meal at Christmas, but rather prefer to buy live animals to slaughter ahead of the festive season.

Sheep, goat, pigs and for those with large families and friends, cattle, are on high demand especially during Christmas.

This narrative is likely to change this year as prices of the livestock are shooting through the roof, three weeks to the occasion.

Joy News’ Emefa Nanci Dziradosi reports from the Old Fadama, an area popular for selling and buying livestock, the frustrations of the dealers who are on a collision course with the police. 

They accuse the police action of spoiling their business.

“When the police officers are taking ¢50 at each barrier [and we go through close to 100 barriers to get to Accra, Kumasi or Takoradi], it will make the animals costly.

“We don’t have any choice but to transfer the chargers to customers and they will be complaining that it is expensive,” one dealer said.

According to him, the police got physical with one of the dealers in January this year “because he didn’t have the money he was asking so they used sticks to hit his head thrice.

“When he got back and we sent him to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital he passed away.”

He said if the extortion and maltreatment should continue, they will sue the Inspector General of Police (IGP).

Meanwhile, the police administration says it will investigate the claims and sanction the officers found culpable.