By Dennis Naku
The Rivers State Government has warned butchers and abattoir operators against using vehicle tyres and harmful chemicals to process meat for public consumption, warning that defaulters risk arrest and prosecution.
The government also directed all slaughterhouses across the state to register with the State Ministry of Agriculture to validate their status and ensure they are not involved in unwholesome practices.
The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Dr Mercy Iboroma, handed down the warning at a news briefing at the State Veterinary Hospital in Rumuodomaya, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state, on Friday.
Represented by the Director of Veterinary Services, Dr Godsawill Ukoikpkoko, the permanent secretary said the move had become necessary to protect residents from unsafe meat, noting that such practices could cause several health problems.
Ukoikpkoko said meat inspection officers had already 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 is causing various internal organ failures, cancers and disabilities, and even deaths or mortality.
“Worse still is the use of chemicals to process hides and skin popularly known as ponmo, imported originally for the leather industry.
“To guard against these sharp practices, the government has provided the Rivers State Meat Inspection and Sales Law Cap 86 No 2 of 1999 to address these anomalies.
“All defaulters are hereby warned that offenders would 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.”
He also disclosed that the ministry was implementing other strict measures to prevent the importation of diseased animals and unwholesome livestock products into the state.
Ukoikpkoko urged abattoir operators to ensure that no livestock processing began without the approval and supervision of certified meat inspection officers.
“In tandem with His Excellency’s (the governor) vision in providing an enabling environment for the actualization of healthy living in the state, the Ministry of Agriculture is in the mood to correct these anomalies in the red meat value chain and other public health concerns.
“As part of renewed commitment to ensuring high standards of food safety in the state, the ministry therefore directs that all slaughterhouses must register and be validated by the ministry,” he said.
Ukoikpkoko further stated: “All slaughterhouses must commence slaughter operations not earlier than 7 am to ensure that all meat therefrom is inspected. 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 for the biennial medical fitness test for food handlers to guarantee that only healthy butchers are allowed to work on animals and meat.
“And then ensure the payment of meat inspection fees ahead of slaughtered animals to designated government accounts.”
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