By Vanessa Acheampong
The Executive Director of Green for change Ghana, Mr. John Balankoo Sumbo, has called for stronger donor support, government commitment, and multi-stakeholder collaboration to improve animal welfare, prevent zoonotic diseases, and protect vulnerable livelihoods across Ghana.
Speaking to GBC after participating in a two-day advocacy workshop held on 14th–15th May 2026 at Miklin Hotel in Accra under the Fight Against Donkey Extinction (FADE) Project, Mr. Sumbo expressed concern over the increasing illegal slaughter and export of donkeys for their hides and the limited attention given to animal welfare in development programming.
The workshop, implemented by the Ghana National Poultry Farmers Association (GAPFA) with support from Brooke UK through Brooke West Africa, Dakar, brought together government agencies, civil society organisations, development partners, and animal welfare advocates to discuss urgent measures needed to protect donkeys and other working animals.
According to Mr. Sumbo, donkeys play a critical role in supporting rural livelihoods, especially in northern Ghana where they are widely used for transportation, farming activities, water collection, and movement of goods.
“This illegal donkey trade is having a serious impact on households that depend on donkeys for transport and farming activities,” he said. “In many communities, people rely on donkeys to carry farm produce, transport water, and even plough their fields. If these animals disappear, many vulnerable households will lose an important source of support for their livelihoods.”
He further noted that donkeys reproduce slowly, making the growing trade even more dangerous to their survival.
“A donkey takes about 11 to 14 months to give birth, yet very little effort is being made to increase breeding and productivity. If immediate action is not taken, the livelihoods of many families that depend on these animals will be at risk,” he explained.
Mr. Sumbo stressed that discussions on animal welfare should not focus only on donkeys but should extend to all animals because of the direct connection between animal health and human health.
“There appears to be a lot of attention and funding for food and tree crop production, but very little investment in animal health and welfare,” he stated. “Yet all of us buy meat from the market without even knowing whether the animal was healthy before it was slaughtered. This has serious public health implications.”
He warned that weak animal health systems increase the risk of zoonotic diseases that can spread from animals to humans.
“If an animal is sick and people consume the meat, there is a risk of zoonotic diseases. Animal welfare is therefore not just an animal issue; it is a human health and public health issue,” he added.
Mr. Sumbo also highlighted the cultural and economic importance of animals such as horses in many traditional communities and called for broader national attention to animal welfare systems, veterinary services, and livestock management.
“We need stronger collaboration among government institutions, development partners, civil society organisations, veterinary services, traditional authorities, and donor agencies to support animal welfare and sustainable livestock systems,” he said. “Protecting animals also means protecting livelihoods, public health, and community resilience.”
He concluded by calling for increased investment, awareness creation, and coordinated action to prevent vulnerable animal species from extinction while improving the welfare and productivity of working animals across the country.
