By Sainabou Sambou
Still circulating on social media is the rumor that fish vendors are using Sniper chemical on their smoked fish to prevent it from spoiling.
The Fatou Network has engaged some smoke fish vendors at Serekunda regarding the rumor.
Kumba Kuyateh, a smoke fish seller told The Fatu Network that she has never used the insecticide on her fish and has never seen any of her fellow fish sellers use the said chemical on their smoked fish.
She disclosed that the rumor has badly affected her business.
“I used to send fish to people abroad at a good cost. I had already prepare to send forty-five baskets of smoked fish to someone in the United States. However, because of the rumour, the person has asked me not to send the baskets of smoked fish anymore,” she said.
Kuyateh added that in Europe, imported fish is normally placed in a machine to know whether it is safe for consumption or not.
She added that she is still left with over thirty-seven baskets, saying that many people are now scared to buy smoked fish due to the Sniper chemical rumour.
Kumba Corrah, another smoke fish vendor denied the allegations. She said she have been in the business for long and have never seen anyone use the chemical.
“If sniper is being used on the smoked fish it will kill lot of people,” she stated.
She said most people have decided not to eat smoked fish anymore.
Ma Nyima Touray, a consumer, said she has never come across any smoke fish seller using Sniper on their fish. She however said that the allegations might be true.
She noted that the government should completely ban Sniper in the Gambia.
A vendor at the Serekunda market, who preferred not to be identified, claimed that smoked fish vendors are indeed using the Sniper chemical on their fish.
“I have seen people using it on their smoked fish,” she alleged.
She cited that when she saw the person using sniper on the smoked fish, she told her not to do it again because it can cause infection.
She called on smoked fish vendors to stop using Sniper because it can affect lot of people and can even cause harmful diseases.
Sniper is a chemical that is mostly used to kill insects. Due to huge public concerns, authorities have announced a ban of the chemical and that anyone found using it will be prosecuted.
