A’Ibom Govt Relocates All Livestock Marketers, Operators to Itam Ultra-Modern Abattoir
Akwa Ibom State Government has concluded plans to relocate all livestock business marketers and abattoir operators within the state capital to the ultra-modern central abattoir at Mbak Itam, to ensure effective control of livestock butchering to promote healthy standards.
Dr Glory Edet, the State Commissioner in charge of the Ministry of Agriculture, Women Affairs and Social Development, reveals government plans in an interactive chat with Crystal Express in her office recently.
The Commissioner, who described the new central abattoir facility as the best in the country, explained that the state government decision to have all the livestock operators in one location, was to monitor the activities of the operators and ensure that their commodities pass veterinary test and is worth for consumption by the general public.
“With the exit of Nsik Motors, operator of AKTC, we hope to now use the facility optimally to achieve its main purpose. The place was originally built as Central Abattoir during the administration of Governor Victor Attah, designed to ensure effective control of livestock butchering and to ensure they are healthy for human consumption. We don’t want a situation where dead animals are sold to the public anymore.”
Dr. Glory promised that the ministry has made plans to station veterinary doctors and other health inspectors to make sure that the quality of live stocks being slaughtered daily for public consumption are clinically certified.
“So with the functional central Abattoir, we will station our veterinary doctors and other health inspectors there to monitor the quality of live stocks being slaughtered daily for public consumption. And I can tell you that the facility we have there is one of the best in the country because it has fantastic cold rooms’’.
She added that her ministry had earlier invited all stakeholders doing livestock business, especially the butchers, for an emergency meeting to intimate them of government reasons for the relocation of all operators and to also brief them on how the facility would be managed, stressing that a committee which made up of representatives of all the groups in the livestock business was set up to handle a day to day running of the central abattoir.
“I’ve invited all dealers in livestock business, especially the butchers and informed them of the ministry’s decision to bring every operator in that sector to the central Abattoir, and presently, there is a committee to manage the place while renovations are on-going right now. The committee is made up of representatives of all groups because when the people are involved in managing what they are doing, they will manage it well and give us report accordingly.”
According to the Commissioner, the central abattoir, apart from generating revenue to the state, will afford government the opportunity to regulate what comes into the state as livestocks, including goats and cattle among others, as veterinary doctors have been detailed to inspect the animals before it is processed for general consumption.
She urged all stakeholders to embrace the new development as defaulters will be sanctioned by the government.
