By; MATTHEW UKACHUNWA, Lagos
Abattoirs and slaughter slabs in Lagos State are clean, safe, secure and satisfy the requirements of international standard.
The state’s Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr. Oluwatoyin Suarau, confirmed the state of the abattoirs while reviewing reports of the Monitoring, Enforcement and Compliance Unit on abattoirs, seizure of stray animals, monitoring of meat transportation and regulation of veterinary premises.
The commissioner highlighted measures established by the state government to ensure that wholesome meat and meat products are eaten in the state. For example, he said the state government has upgraded existing slaughter slabs in Ikorodu, Matori, Ilaje and Ejigbo to semi-mechanized abattoirs.
The Oko-oba abattoir and lairage complex in Agege has been rehabilitated to ensure the operations at the complex meet international standard, Suarau stressed.
In addition, he pointed out that the use of motorcycles (okada) to carry meat within and outside abattoirs has been banned in Lagos State. “We are also enforcing the use of specialized meat vans for meat transportation within the state,” he declared,
He stated that the transportation of meat using the previous Eko air cool to Eko refrigerated meat van has been upgraded, “This,” the commissioner emphasized, “remains the only approved means of meat transportation in the state.” He asserted that it is “not moribund as claimed” in some quarters.
Likewise, Suarau said the state government is “also enforcing the use of specialized vehicle for live animal transportation.”
