Anthrax: Stakeholders advocates for strict supervision of abattoirs

As part of efforts to curb the spread of Anthrax, (a spore-forming bacterium, which mostly affects livestock like cattle, sheep and goats), stakeholders have called on the federal and state governments, to ensure strict supervision of abattoirs across the country to check the spread of Anthrax.

Speaking on Sunday, the stakeholders called on the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to ensure that only healthy animals were slaughtered for the consumption of the citizens.

Mr Isa Yeah, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources, Nasarawa State, said government had set up machinery in motion to ensure that butchers adhere to standard practice in all abattoirs in the state.

According to him, the state government was working assiduously to improve facilities at the two abattoirs in the state located at Karu and Lafia.

He said that abattoirs are under the control of the state government, and veterinarians are assigned to ascertain the health of animals.

He added that proposals from private investors willing to construct and operate private abattoirs were being considered by government.

Mr Ezekiel Baba, a Lecturer with the College of Agriculture, Science and Technology, Lafia, said that there are only two abattoirs in the state.

He commended the state government for ensuring that animals and their products are examined before slaughtering and selling to consumers.

Baba appealed to veterinarians to also ensure that animals taken to the abattoirs for slaughtering, were certified for human consumption.

Also, Dr Tolu Omotugwa, a veterinary doctor working with the Kogi state government, said that all functional abattoirs in the state, are manned by veterinary doctors.

“The meat being processed at the abattoirs are of high quality for human consumption. This is largely due veterinary doctors who are always on ground to inspect the cows brought for slaughtering.

“I can tell you authoritatively that the meats being sold in the markets are healthy and very safe for consumption.

“Recently we intercepted some carcass from going into the markets due to the measures put in place by government to checkmate unhealthy meat infiltrating our markets.

“The meat that are condemned, we do condemn them, and those meats that are healthy and safe, we allow them to pass to the markets, ” he said.

Tolu urged government to complete the new abattoir with modern facilities for ease and seamless slaughtering of cattle.

Mrs Helen Momoh, a business woman, said that she had never had cause to be afraid of buying meat in any market in Lokoja metropolis.

“I think we should commend the government and butchers in the various abattoirs in Kogi for their efforts at providing healthy and quality meats in our markets.

“Health is key, and any meat being sold must be safe for consumption by the populace, ” she said.

Mr Victor Kunle, said that beside the incident of April 2022, “we never had any cause to fear buying meat in the markets.”

Mr Seun Babalola, a Sanitarian with Kogi Ministry of Environment, said the ministry had put everything in place to ensure that the abattoirs were kept clean.

He said that the Kogi State Sanitation and Waste Management Board (KSSWMB) are collaborating with the department of Veterinary Services in the Ministry of Agriculture, to ensure clean and safe environment at the abattoirs.

Babalola said that the team still embark on inspection to some of the abattoirs located in Lokoja, and that the same thing was happening in all the 21 local government areas of the state.

Dr Adamu Ibrahim-Kato, Director of Public Health, Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, Niger, said that veterinary officiakls were always on ground to inspect animals before slaughtering.

“These strict inspection help us to ascertain animals that are sick or infected so that we don’t kill them but place them on treatment for recovery.

“When they recover fully and are certified healthy and fit, they may be slaughtered for consumption. But if they have a relapse, we continue with the treatment, ” he said .