Rivers bans Sunday abattoir operations

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.

The Rivers State Government has banned slaughter operations across the state on Sundays and warned butchers and abattoir operators against using vehicle tyres, plastic materials, and harmful chemicals to process meat for public consumption.

The government also directed all slaughterhouses to register with the State Ministry of Agriculture for validation and monitoring.

The Permanent Secretary in the Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Mercy Iboroma, gave the directives during a news briefing at the State Veterinary Hospital in Rumuodomaya, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, on Friday.

Represented by the Director of Veterinary Services, Dr. Godsawill Ukoikpoko, the permanent secretary said the measures were necessary to protect residents from unsafe meat and prevent health complications associated with unhygienic processing practices.

Ukoikpoko said meat inspection officers had been deployed to slaughterhouses across the state to enforce food safety standards.

He stated, “It is ethically and legally wrong to use tyres and plastic materials to roast meat intended for human consumption. This practice causes various internal organ failures, cancers, disabilities, and even deaths.

“Worse still is the use of chemicals to process hides and skin, popularly known as ponmo, originally imported for the leather industry.

“All defaulters are hereby warned, as offenders will be arrested and prosecuted in line with the provisions of extant laws and regulations in the interest of food safety for the good people of Rivers State.”

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Ukoikpoko also disclosed that the ministry was implementing other strict measures to prevent the importation of diseased animals and unwholesome livestock products into the state.

He urged abattoir operators to ensure that no livestock processing began without the approval and supervision of certified meat inspection officers.

“As part of our renewed commitment to ensuring high standards of food safety in the state, the ministry directs that all slaughterhouses must register and be validated by the ministry.

“All slaughterhouses must commence slaughter operations not earlier than 7 a.m. to ensure that all meat from them is inspected. There shall be no slaughter operations on Sundays. All animals must be conveyed to slaughterhouses in vehicles and not trekked on foot to avoid accidents and traffic challenges.

“All meat handlers must submit themselves to the biennial medical fitness test for food handlers to guarantee that only healthy butchers are allowed to work on animals and meat, and ensure the payment of meat inspection fees ahead of slaughtered animals to designated government accounts.”