Dr Clement Abas Apaak, the Deputy Minister of Education and the Global President of the Dog Meat Eaters Association (DOGMEA), has justified the consumption of dog and cat meat.
Dr Apaak stressed that the consumption of dog and cat meat is their birthright and urged members to be proud of their heritage and culture.
According to Dr Apaak, they consume dog and cat meat because it is part of our culture, heritage and tradition.
Dr Apaak made these remarks while dismissing calls by the Institute of Community Sustainability to ban the consumption of these animals.
In a post on X Dr Apaak wrote, “As the Global President of the Dog Meat Eaters Association [DOGMEA], I urge all members to treat the ridiculous call by the Institute of Community Sustainability with the contempt it deserves.
What do they mean by health concerns? Have we, the dog and cat meat consumers, complained about health issues to them? In any case, don’t people who don’t eat dog and cat meat have health issues?
Ethical concerns? Whose ethics and by whose standards? We, the consumers of dog and cat meat, are guided by the ethics bequeathed to us by our ancestors.
Our forefathers and fathers passed on the moral principles governing our behaviour, which includes our consumption of dog and cat meat, to us.
We consume dog and cat meat because that is part of our culture, our heritage and our tradition. Consuming dog and cat meat is part of our identity”.
He added, “Let the uninitiated be informed that food [dog and cat meat included] and culture are intrinsically linked. Food acts as a primary expression of cultural identity, heritage, and social bonding.
I urge members to boldly and fearlessly consume the special delicacies. We are proud of our heritage, we are proud of our culture. It is our birthright to consume dog and cat meat”.
His remarks follow, Eric Jerry Aidoo, the Executive Director of the Institute of Community Sustainability (ICS), has called for an immediate ban on cat and dog meat consumption in Ghana.
According to the Institute of Community Sustainability (ICS), there are serious public health risks and ethical concerns with the consumption of Dog and Cat meat.
Eric Jerry Aidoo argued that cats and dogs are family companions who deserve protection, not the slaughterhouse.
ICS detailed that consuming cat and dog meat poses a grave threat to human health, noting that unregulated slaughter and handling can transmit diseases such as rabies, trichinellosis, and cholera.
They further called on the Ministry of Health to implement strict measures to totally ban slaughter for human consumption, and also the criminalisation of the trade and sale of cat and dog meat.
Eric Jerry Aidoo is quoted to have said, “They are family companions, providing emotional support to children and the elderly, and serve as security guides, protecting homes and businesses”.
“It is time for Ghana to align with global health standards and ethical practices. Cats and dogs are our family; they deserve protection, not the slaughterhouse,” Aidoo stated.
See the post below:
As the Global President of the Dog Meat Eaters Association [DOGMEA], I urge all members to treat the ridiculous call by the Institute of Community Sustainability with the contempt it deserves.
— Dr. Clement Abas Apaak (@DrApaak) February 24, 2026
What do they mean by health concerns? Have we, the dog and cat meat consumers,… pic.twitter.com/9Lxcfk0icJ