By Sainabou Sambou
Serekunda market vendors have reacted to the used of waste car tires to roast cowhides.
This comes after the recent arrest of eight people allegedly caught roasting cowhides using waste car tires.
Cow Kanda, as it is commonly called in the Gambia is used in the cooking of some Gambian delicacies. The processed cowhide is sold in local markets for onward distribution.
Speaking to The Fatu Network, Musu Meita Manneh, a vendor at Serekunda Market expressed dissatisfactions over the act, saying that such an act can cause damage to people’s health and wellbeing.
“Burning car tires can cause serious health problems to people who inhale its smoke. We are worried. We have also heard that some people use disposed gallons and other waste rubber materials to roast cowhides. If people are now using car tires it simply means they want to kill people,” she lamented.
She called on government to inspect food stuffs entering the country and food items processed or produced in-country to better protect the health of people.
Fatoumatta Camara, a fish vendor, raised concerns over the used of waste car tires in the roasting of cowhides, saying that cow hides should be banned in the country.
“Before now, we don’t know “cow Kanda” in The Gambia. It was not part of our cooking condiments. Now that such practice has been reported in its preparation, it should not be sold in our markets,” she voiced.
Mama Taal, a vendor who sells vegetable, said waste tires should not be used to roast cowhides because it is something consumed by people.
“If car tires are burnt, it can cause harm to people’s health. There are lot of diseases affecting people because of the types of food they eat,” she said.
She said government should take strict measures to ensure that people are protected, adding that the Food Safety and Quality Authority should constantly monitor people selling food stuffs.
According to health experts, burning of tires and other plastic items cause cancer, breathing disorder and other health problems.
