The Edo State Commis
sioner for Establishment and Special Duties, Mr Didi Adodo, said the government would build more abattoirs across the state to ensure hygiene and protect consumers in the area.
Adodo stated this at a meeting with members of the Butchers Association in the state in Benin recently.
According to him, aside plans to modernise the abattoirs, the government will also provide loans for members of the association to expand their businesses.
He, however, said that the butchers must meet their financial obligations to the association as well as the government for them to benefit.
The commissioner noted that as part of measures to sanitise the sector, butchers in the state were expected to register with the National Butchers Association of Nigeria.
He said butchers in the state would henceforth pay N500 on every cow slaughtered.
“As part of the scheduling system, every cow slaughtered in the state will now attract N500.
“There are plans to provide loans to butchers, but first, members must be registered with the only body recognised by the government.
“We also want orderliness in the system as well as a crisis free association,” he stated.
Earlier, the National President of Butchers Association of Nigeria, Mr Osamede Adun solicited the cooperation of members in the activities of the association.
He said that no fewer than 250 cows were being slaughtered daily in Benin metropolis alone.
Adun said plans were ongoing to build a cattle ranch in Edo, adding that more than 2, 000 hectares of land had been acquired for that purpose.