By Stanley Onyekwere
Following directive by the FCT Minister of State FCT, Dr.Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu to the Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat (ARDS) to improve sanitary conditions of abattoirs in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, the Secretariat has commenced intensive clean up of abattoirs.
It was gathered that the exercise taking place simultaneously in all the abattoirs that are under the supervision of the Agric Secretariat, after its pilot phase expected to be completed in few weeks, will thereafter be continuous initiative on a monthly basis.
ARDS Secretary for Agriculture a Mallam Abubakar Ibrahim, who flagged off and supervised the exercise disclosed that the clean up is in line with the commitment of the Hon. Minister of State, FCT to promote public health safety and to ensure that abattoirs operations and premises measure up with required hygienic practices.
Ibrahim, while monitoring the clean up at Karu Abattoir, said the exercise would be done monthly, so as not to leave any stone unturned in the bid to ensure healthy environment across Abattoirs in the FCT.
He said: “What you are seeing here today is in response to the directive issued by the Honourable Minister of State who has expressed concern on the State of Abattoirs particularly after the Festive season where the abattoirs were full of activities which resulted to the accumulation of huge waste.
“Already we have mobilised all our Veterinary and Animal health officials to be part of the clean up and I can assure you that by the end of this week, God willing, the Abattoirs will be totally cleaned”.
He continued: “I had promised them (Butchers) many things, part of which is the evacuation of the wastes left there since 2019, hence the intervention to make the environment more hygienic for meat consumption.
“ This is what is happening across the FCT Abattoir or the last two days, because we are trying to evacuate the whole wastes; and the essence of the exercise and other interventions is to make sure that we are eating healthy meat, which is the most important thing.
“You know, Abuja is a capital city , so we want to set an example , so that others can follow. Let us have a healthy environment in the Abattoirs, so that everybody will patronise them”.
Similarly, the Director Veterinary Services Dr. Mrs Regina Adulugba thanked the Hon. Minister of State for matching her words with action towards repositioning abattoir operations in the FCT.
On his part, Chairman, Butchers Association in Karu Abattoir, Ahmed Abdulkadri Cater, said “we are happy to see the ARDS Secretary supervise the cleaning exercise, because during his visit, he promise to do so, and now work has already started.
“And we (Butchers) were called and negotiated with on how to work hand to hand with them to improve hygiene in the Karu Abattoir.”
