Niger govt set to constitute task force on illegal abattoir, issues quit notice to operators

Illegal abattoir operators across Niger State have been issued a one-week notice to quit the illegal business or be made to face the full wrath of the law.

The permanent secretary, of the ministry of livestock and fisheries, Dr Ibrahim Garba Musa gave the warning during a stakeholders’ meeting on Minna Abattoir Management at the ministry’s headquarters on Tuesday in Minna, the state capital.

Part of the resolutions of the stakeholders includes the Chanchaga Local Government Council, State Chapter of the Nigeria Butchers Union, Sarkin Pawan Minna, and the State Environmental Protection Agency (NISEPA) Security Agencies, among others. The unlicensed slaughter slabs cum- abattoir operators must move to the state’s recognised abattoir with effect from Wednesday, 11th May 2022.

The permanent secretary, however, decried the unhealthy and poor hygienic practices at the slaughter slabs and abattoirs stressing that 90 per cent of diseases affecting man comes from animals and consumption of unhealthy meat has made the body’s defence weak.

He said, “We are all aware that today if you go to our abattoir, some of us may not even want to eat meat. Meat is supposed to be as sterile as possible. That is why the government felt it imperative that any animal for slaughter and the meat must be inspected before it is passed for human consumption.”

Musa pointed out that the livestock and fisheries ministry was prepared to grant an operational licence to any applicant with requisite criteria, noting that only the Minna abattoir was officially recognised by the state government.

He said, henceforth, the ministry will employ its expertise by carrying out anti and post mortem inspections on any cattle and small ruminants before slaughter at the abattoir, and therefore, solicited the cooperation and support of all stakeholders to achieve the desired objectives.

In his remarks, the Madakin Pawa, Alhaji Ubale Ayawa who spoke on behalf of Sarkin Pawa, in Munyan LGA of the state,  described the meeting as timely, adding that a series of similar meetings had been held in the past without any tangible result and therefore, expressed optimism that the ministry under the present leadership will match words with action to achieve the desired sanity in the abattoir industry.

Ayawa emphasized that in the past, no fewer than 100 cattle were slaughtered at government-approved abattoirs on daily basis but now reduced to 50 cattle due to the proliferation of illegal abattoirs, thereby reducing the Internally Generated Revenues (IGR) to the government.

He assured the permanent secretary of their unflinching support to achieve desired objectives.

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Niger govt set to constitute task force on illegal abattoir, issues quit notice to operators