Following the outbreak of anthrax disease in the country, Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, has inaugurated a modern abattoir in the Koya community of Karu Local Government Area of the state, to promote hygiene in the process of slaughtering animals in the area.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony on Thursday, the governor explained that the abattoir was built based on global best practices for the processing of safe, hygienic meat for the people.
“I need to stress here that there is no doubt that this abattoir will make it possible to put in place regulations aimed at improving the quality of meat in order to guarantee the health of consumers and to increase the professionalism of personnel in the meat sector.
“I call on the beneficiaries to take good care of the facilities in the abattoir to ensure the hygiene of meat in the area. I also want to applaud the livestock stakeholders for their all-inclusive and participatory commitment to ensuring the completion of the project in the area.
“As a government, we will continue to support citizens of the state to grow in their chosen careers,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, the chairman, Garba Mantu Nigeria Limited and the developer of the Abattoir, Patrick Ojo, while commending the governor for his constant support and cooperation since the project commenced, said the new abattoir has the capacity to serve the entire residents of Karu LGA and its environs.
Ojo mentioned the facilities in the new abattoir to include a livestock butchering area, livestock burning zone, vehicle parking space, quarantine area, dressing rooms, and functional boreholes, among others.
“This modern abattoir was built to meet the demands of the people of Karu LGA and other residents of the state. It is aimed at ensuring that residents consume fresh and hygienic meat at all times to tackle the spread of diseases from animals.
“The abattoir sits on 2.4 hectares of land, and I can assure you that all equipment required for its smooth take-off has been provided,” Ojo said.
Earlier in his welcome address, the chairman of Karu LGA, James Thomas, who was represented by his deputy, Lawal Yakubu, expressed gratitude to the state government and Garba Mantu Nigeria Limited for the initiative.
Thomas said officials of the local government will constantly monitor the usage of the abattoir to ensure that it is maintained by both sellers and buyers.
