Unwholesome meat processing: Lagos dislodge 10 illegal slaughter slabs
Lagos State Government, yesterday, dislodged 10 more illegal slaughter slabs and animal market in some parts of the state.
Commissioner for Agriculture, Ms. Abisola Olusanya, who disclosed this explained that the exercise was in continuation of the government’s sanitization and reform of the red meat value chain with the goal of producing wholesome meat for the consumption of its citizenry.
Olusanya listed the areas where the facilities were shut to include Ayobo, Ipaja, Oko Filling, Ikorodu, Odoguyan Road in Ikorodu and Mangoro, on Old Abeokuta expressway axis of the state.
She disclosed that during the exercise, which was carried out by men of the Monitoring, Enforcement and Compliance Team of her ministry, at least 21 live rams, 13 live goats and 4.5 tonnes of meat carcass were confiscated.
Olusanya added that the confiscated meat carcass was subsequently donated to the Bab-Es-Salam Home, GRA, Ikeja; the Real woman Foundation, Magodo, and the Love Home Orphanage, CMD road, Magodo in Shangisha.
She stated that confiscated live animals would be auctioned at the Mobile Court of the Lagos State Task Force on Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences Office, with all offenders duly prosecuted, stressing that there would be no option of fine, in order to serve as a deterrent to others.
“It has been observed that animals slaughtered at these illegal slaughter slabs are not inspected by veterinary officials, as a result, the wholesomeness cannot be vouched for, hence, the need for officials of the MEC Team to continue the dislodgement exercise.”, Olusanya stated.
Olusanya, therefore urged all animal health practitioners, cold room operators and meat shop operators in the state to ensure that they are registered with the Veterinary Services department of the Ministry of Agriculture and obtain appropriate license to operate within the state, stressing that quackery would no longer be tolerated.
