The Nation Newspaper

Tag: slaughter

  • Commissioner orders closure of illegal slaughter slabs

    The Cross River State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Prof. Anthony Eneji, has directed closure of unapproved slaughter slabs.

    Eneji, who gave the directive in Calabar, said the closure became necessary to ensure safe and healthy practices.

    He condemned the rate at which individuals and groups set up slaughter slabs without endorsement by the Ministry’s Veterinary Department.

    ‘’This is unhealthy; people can be exposed to major health risks if such slaughter slabs are allowed to continue to operate,’’ he said.

    The official said the state-owned abattoir, located at Ikot Eneobong, and government-owned slaughter slabs were safe and functional.

    According to him, the slabs have veterinary workers to ascertain the health of animals before their killing.

    The commissioner appealed to individuals to promote safe practices in abattoirs by providing hygienic vehicles to convey meat from the state abattoir to markets.

    He decried transportation of meat from abattoirs in passenger vehicles, saying this could expose meat to disease vectors, such as flies and dust.

    Eneji said  it was the responsibility of veterinarians to inspect and certify meat safe for consumption before transportation to markets.

    He said veterinary workers from the ministry had been deployed in slaughter slabs in parts of the state to ensure that dead and infected animals would not be consumed.

    Eneji said tuberculosis and tapeworm infection, among other diseases in animals, could cause food poisoning detrimental to human health.

    He said the ministry was making efforts to acquire a place to set up a goat slaughter house to ensure that meat available in markets would undergo proper inspection.

    The commissioner directed the ministry’s Livestock Department to apprehend operators of illegal slaughter slabs, especially in Calabar.

  • 11-year old boy kidnapped, Slaughtered in Kano

    Police authorities Tuesday in Kano confirmed the killing of a 11-year old Musa Salisu of Naibawa quarters in Kano metropolis.

    According Kano state police Command Public Relations Officer, DSP Musa Magaji Majia, Salisu, a primary six pupil was abducted by suspected kidnappers and slaughtered in cold blood when his abductors could not receive ransom.

    Magaji said the pupil was abducted by unknown assailants by 2.00pm Monday at Naibawa quarters of the metropolis.

    Late Musa was sent on errand within the neighborhood around 2pm when yet to be identified hoodlums abducted him.

    The Police spokesman also confirmed that two suspects have been arrested in connection with the abduction of the case, adding that the boy’s throat was slit when police discovered the dead body.

    Speaking with uncle to the late Musa Salisu, Abubakar Kafinta said “it was not immediately clear that the boy was abducted until three hours on when an unidentified person phoned the family about the unfortunate development.”

    He explained that “the abductors demanded for half a million naira ransom to release the boy or else his life”.

    According to late Musa’s uncle, “the matter was promptly reported to the police, while concerted effort was made to meet their demand”.

    Kafinta who was on tears revealed that “we called them through the same line this morning for a deal only to learnt that the boy has been slaughtered.”

    The abductors further gave us details description of where they deposited the corpse along eastern bypass.”

    Kafinta who could not controlled his emotion revealed that “We have recovered the lifeless body performed the Fidau and buried him at Naibawa cemetery according to Muslim rites.”

  • Association chief flays state of slaughter houses

    The President, Association of Small Business Owners of Nigeria (ASBON), Dr Femi Egbesola, has warned that poor slaughter houses across the country was putting public health at risk.

    Speaking with The Nation, Egbesola said there were no official controls to ensure meat safety and maintain consumer confidence.

    He warned of potential risks of  food borne diseases, adding that this can be minimised with stringent animal health control measures.

    Given the state of the abattoirs, he said consumers may eat meat containing contaminants.

    At some of the abattoirs, residents have complained  about bad odours from bloody fleeces loaded from the abattoirs. He said animals intended for human consumption and admitted to the slaughterhouses for slaughtering and dressing should be subject to inspections. Before animals are slaughtered, he said they should be inspected by qualified officials.

    He advised that animals arriving at the abattoir to be slaughtered should be inspected for signs of illness before they enter the premises.

    Throughout the slaughter process, Egbesola emphasised that meat inspection procedures should be carried out by trained personnel to identify signs of disease in the carcass.

    He stressed that a situation where quality control is compromised may lead to “dead and sick animals being slaughtered and sold.

    He called for proper audits of slaughterhouses to ensure that consumers are eating meat free from diseases and contaminants.

    He urged the government to involve more in the audit of meat production.

  • Law banning animal slaughter under way

    If a Bill for the production and distribution of processed meat in Lagos now in the works at the state House of Assembly is passed into law slaughtering of animals at home may be banned.

    Lagos state Commissioner for Agriculture and Cooperatives, Gbolahan Lawal stated this while speaking at a-day stakeholders’ meeting on, ‘A Bill for A Law to Provide for the establishment of Lagos State Meat Regulatory Authority and for Connected Purposes’ at Lateef Jakande Auditorium, Alausa Ikeja over the weekend.

    Lawal added that the meat industry has a lot of potentials in the state.

    Section 21 (1) of the bill states, “It shall be unlawful for anyone to slaughter any animal which is intended for human consumption or dress the carcass of such animal in any place other than in an approved abattoir.

    “Anyone who contravenes any provision of the proposed law shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine of N500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) or six months imprisonment on conviction,” the bill says.

    Lawal stated that the law would make it mandatory for all meat to be slaughtered at approved abattoirs to ensure safe consumption, adding however that the Agriculture Commissioner would always release a statement during festive periods to allow people slaughter animals at homes.

    The Commissioner revealed that the agency that would be established to regulate the abattoirs through the bill does not have to be headed by a veterinary doctor since what matters is for the person to be an administrator.

    “There are still other jobs that the veterinary department would do. The industry is large in a state that slaughters about 5,000 herds of cattle every day except on Sundays. So, the agency would just focus on red meat industry.

    “A lot of people travel abroad and see how they do it there. It is just a Bill, so it is left for the House of Assembly to decide on what to do next,” he said.

    The Chairman, House of Assembly Committee on Agriculture, Cooperatives and Rural Development, Olanrewaju Ibrahim Layode also said that all animals should be slaughtered at approved abattoirs and that the Bill would cater for the production of quality animals.

    “We will give certificates for all animals that would be slaughtered. We will control all our borders and our veterinary doctors are expected to control all the animals that come into the state,” he said.

    In his contribution, the Director of Veterinary Services in the state Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Ganiyu Omotosho Adams revealed that 25 veterinary doctors in the state, including him, are undergoing training on meat value from a foreign consultant.

    Others, who spoke at the meeting such as the Secretary of Meat Sellers in the state, Alhaji Nurudeen Adesokan, and AbdulGaniyu Adegbenga AbdulMojeed promised to send their memoranda to the Assembly, while calling on the state government to take their observations into consideration.

    Members of the public who wish to make inputs into the proposed law were given seven working days to submit memoranda.

  • Modernise slaughter houses, govt urged

    TO save lives, the government has been advised to focus on the modernisation of slaughter houses and undertake proper anti-mortem examination of animals.

    Speaking with The Nation, a former Chairman, Federation of African Nutrition Societies (FANUS) and Executive Council Member, International Union of Nutritional Sciences (IUNS), Prof Tola Atinmo, called for increased attention on modernisation of slaughter houses and proper anti-mortem examination of animals prior to slaughter toensure safe foods to consumers.

    Atinmo advised the government to make efforts in preventing and controlling meat adulteration by seeking the cooperation of farmers, meat processors and scientists.

    With the meat and poultry sector expected to grow in in the next few years, he implored stakeholders to come out with a framework to further strengthen safety and bring latest technologies to create meat and poultry processing industries to pitch into global market.

  • Ogun to upgrade slaughter houses

    Ogun to upgrade slaughter houses

    In line with international best practices and promotion of  quality health in the meat sector, the Ogun State goverment is  embarking on a phased development and upgrade of its slaughter houses in Abeokuta, Sagamu, Ijebu-Ode, Ijebu-Igbo and Isheri-Kara.

    The state Commissioner for Agriculture, Mrs Ibironke Sokefun,  said this at a ministerial briefing in Abeokuta, the state capital as part of activities marking the third year anniversary of Senator Ibikunle Amosun administration.

    According to her, a preferred partner has emerged for the development and upgrade of the Lafenwa Slaughter House in Abeokuta, which will be ready in seven months at N507 million while the rest will also be upgraded through public-private partnership.

    The Commisioner also said Refrigerated Meat Vans will soon be introduced to ferry meat from different slaughter facilities to various markets in a clean and hygienic manner to curb the spread of pathogens and reduce the risk of post abbatoir contamination.

    Mrs Sokefun listed the achievements of the state government to include purchase of farming equipment and implements for the use of farmers at highly subsidised rates, rehabilitation of farm settlements and fish farms.

    Others are cultivation of rice at Eggua, cassava multiplication project in Ibiade, establishment of Model Farm Estate in Owowo, 50hectares cocoa plantation in Alagbagba and a 50-hectare cashew plantation in Afon, Green House in Kotopo.