The Gombe State Commissioner for Health, Dr Habu Dahiru, has called upon cassava farmers to desist from selling products with high content of hydrogen cyanide following identified death case and 10 others whom are hospitalised.
Dahiru also appealed to them to put humanity first, instead audacious chase for wealth.
Our correspondent reports that Governor Muhammadu Yahaya, had called on Gombe residents to focus on farming cash produce like cassava as a means to combat hunger.
The Commissioner made this disclosure at a public advisory released by the Ministry of Health on cassava consumption in the state on Monday.
“On the 1st of August, my team at the PHEOC received a report about six persons from Madaki quarters here in the metropolis, who presented to the hospital with abdominal pains, diarrhea, and vomiting after eating boiled cassava, one person died also five children from another family in state low-cost presented to another hospital with same complaints, after eating boiled cassava,” Dahiru added.
While urging farmers on the need to exercise restraints the Commissioner harped on the need for fear of God, adding “farmers should ensure they sell only sweet cassava, popularly known as Farinn rogo, which has less than 50mg/kg of hydrogen cyanide and avoid the bitter variety Bakinn rogo), which contains huge amounts (400mg/kg) of cyanide.”
Dahiru noted that already the ministry has begun sensitisation in Tumu, Futuk, and other cassava-producing communities, as well as cassava marketers’ associations across the state.
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