The Nasarawa State Government has threatened to shut down the Akwanga abattoir if its poor sanitary conditions are not addressed within one month.
Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Margret Elayo, issued the warning while briefing journalists after the September sanitation exercise in Akwanga Local Government Area.
Elayo, represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Hussaini Babayayi, said the abattoir’s unhygienic practices pose a serious health risk to residents.
“Our brothers and sisters in Akwanga depend on this abattoir for their meat, but the place is not hygienic. It is dangerous to public health. If nothing changes between now and next month, the abattoir will be shut down,” she warned.
She said the ministry inspected the facility during the sanitation exercise and discovered its poor state, adding that officials would monitor its activities until the end of October to ensure compliance with sanitation guidelines.
Elayo also expressed disappointment over the low level of compliance with the monthly sanitation exercise, noting that many commercial motorcycle and vehicle operators were going about their businesses during the exercise.
She warned that stricter enforcement would follow in subsequent months.
Deputy Chairman of Akwanga LGA, Basau Ibrahim-Shaibu, admitted that compliance was low because government attention had shifted to rural communities.
He disclosed that the state government had commenced the construction of a modern abattoir on the outskirts of Akwanga and pledged immediate action to ensure cleanliness and adherence to sanitation laws at the existing facility.
