NAQS to regularize trade in donkey skin, frowns at unlawful export

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

The Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service has condemned the manner at which donkeys are being exported out of the country for its hide as unwholesomely unsafe and called for the regularization of its trade.

The Director General of NAQS, Dr. Vincent Isegbe said urgent efforts are needed in order to reduce the hazard Nigerian donkeys are unduly being subjected to by economic saboteurs.

Nigerian Donkey hides

In a release made available to Nation update online by the Head of Media, Communications, NAQS, Gozie Nwodo, the DG stated that the spate of mounting demands of donkey skin has no doubt raised the perpetual illegal transactions on donkey which has continued to deplete their number regardless of ban on it.

He said it has become necessary to draw the line between the ideal strict preservation of donkeys and the illegal reckless killing and export of donkey, he called for a standardized value chain that would work towards growing donkey population in the country through improved breeding, ranching and through other innovative means.

“Donkeys are globally recognized as an endangered species. Nigeria is a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). The country is, therefore, obligated to institute all reasonable safeguards to protect the surviving breeds of donkeys within her borders from the possible threat of biodiversity loss and extinction.

Dr. Isegbe

“The global population of donkeys have suffered a collapse over the past decade. The impact of climate change is projected to aggravate their depletion. This has inspired conservationist efforts to promote their welfare,” he stated.

Isegbe said it’s on account of this disturbing state of donkeys in the country that the agency in 2017 recommended to the highest policy-making body on agriculture in the country, National Council of Agriculture(NCA), on the hostile environment donkeys are subjected to, and donkey skin was included in the list of items for export prohibition.

Akinjo

In his comment, the Head, Animal Quarantine Department, NAQS, Dr. Abidodun Akinjo, said the prohibition order has not in any way stopped donkey skin transactions, as the local perpetrators and their foreign collaborators now transact afoot.

The agency he said has worked hard in the last three months to dismantle the local collaborators in this illicit transaction, who have been financially induced to remain loyal to their foreign partners as donkey skin is a highly prized raw material in Asia, and Nigeria has an attractive donkeys’ number.

”the sole interest of the donkey skin dealers is instant profiteering. Hence, they do not spare a thought beyond the exchange of money for donkey skin. Neither do they care about breeding donkeys to maintain the carrying capacity of the animals to ensure perpetuity of the goose that lays the golden eggs.

“The sourcing, transportation, slaughtering and flaying of the donkeys for export of its hide are dismal and unsafe. They are often conducted in ways that constitute environmental hazard and danger to public health. That is why the NAQS is embarking on joint special operations with the police across the country and at all interstate control posts to checkmate export-bound stockpiling of donkey skin,” Akinjo said.

NAQS however stated that it will engage all stakeholders as much as possible with the intention of making formal the export trade in donkey skins, and to set the code for management of the chain of custody and ensuring that all aspects of the transactions have human face and transparent.